The Scottish Government has welcomed the news that Grampian Police recruited an extra 92 officers since March last year, taking total numbers in the force up to 1,466.

By March 2011 the Government has committed itself to recruit 1,000 new police officers. 150 of these were recruited last year, with 450 scheduled to be recruited in 2008/09.

This pledge was backed by new investment of £40 million over three years that the Finance Secretary announced early this year. This supplements £54 million that was assigned to the police in November 2007.

"The Scottish Government is committed to a greater visible police presence, deterring crime and reassuring our citizens," Justice Secretary Kenny MacAskill said.

"We inherited the lowest recruitment since devolution with many officers due to retire. We've tackled that challenge head on and we are confident that the resources and policies now in place will deliver improved policing for Scotland.

"We have set out plans to deliver a more visible policing presence on Scotland's streets and make an additional 1,000 officers available in our communities. We are not just delivering on this but going substantially beyond, by also looking at recruitment, retention and redeployment."

However, Labour has suggested that the SNP administration has "failed" another police force, Dumfries and Galloway. The opposition party claims the force cannot afford new recruits and may have to cut its numbers.

"Kenny MacAskill needs to ensure that this policy is put right before we see reductions in officers. His pledge of 1,000 more police and progress so far has been inadequate. Now it appears it could be starting to go backwards," Labour justice spokesperson Richard Baker said.

Conservatives spokesperson John Lamont welcomed the announcement, but warned of "the SNP's unrelenting drive to create a soft-touch Scotland" through early release policies.