More than a hundred police stations have closed across Scotland since the merger which created the national constabulary in 2013, it can be revealed.
Opposition politicians hit out at the scale of the closures which they claimed had left communities "less safe".
Police Scotland has shuttered 140 dedicated stations and offices in less than a decade - but top brass insisted it always "carefully considered all options" when it came to its buildings.
Calum Steele, general secretary of the Scottish Police Federation, which represents rank-and-file officers, said: "I have spent the past few weeks talking to members of the public, councillors, MSPs, MPs, and our own members on this very subject.
"Without exception they consider that retrenchment into more urban centres is having a detrimental impact on the policing of remote and rural areas, with many communities now not phoning the police as they have little confidence of a meaningful response.
"This is a devastating assessment and officers and communities in remote and rural Scotland deserve much better.
"The vital link that once tied police officers to local communities is being systematically eroded and we will all be poorer as a result.”
Jamie Greene, the Scottish Conservative justice spokesman, branded the closures a “cynical attempt to save money” by the Scottish Government, which he said had “undoubtedly made our streets less safe”.
Lib Dem justice spokesman Liam McArthur said: "Having police based across the country is essential for community policing and the closure of so many stations risks hollowing out the ability to make this model work effectively."
The number of station closures was uncovered by the 1919 current affairs magazine.
Police Scotland Deputy Chief Constable Will Kerr said: "Scotland’s policing estate has been built up over the course of several decades and has suffered from a historic lack of investment under legacy arrangements.
"Some buildings are no longer in the right place, are not operationally fit for purpose and not designed in a way which allows us to work alongside key delivery partners.
"We carefully consider all options regarding the use of policing buildings, including co-location or relocation and consult with a range of stakeholders and the local community."
A Scottish Government spokesperson said: “The allocation of resources, including for the police estate, is for the Scottish Police Authority and the Chief Constable to determine.
"However, the Police capital budget has more than doubled since 2017/18, supporting continued investment in the police estate.
"Police Scotland has prioritised the progress of a new and ambitious estates strategy which will lead to improvements in the operating environment for all officers and staff in line with the objective to proactively look after their wellbeing."
Last year it emerged that Police Scotland had made £28.5 million after selling off 96 of its old properties.
At the time a further 26 were either under offer, on the market, being prepared to go up for sale or for proposed community transfer.
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