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Post of Chief Constable now advertised

July 23, 2012 4:07 pm

The recruitment process for one of the top policing roles in the UK is now underway.

The first Chief Constable of the new Police Service of Scotland will shape and lead the second largest force in the UK with more than 17,000 officers and around 6,500 support staff serving more than five million people.

Establishing the new service marks the most significant change to policing in Scotland for a generation.

The Chief Constable will work closely with the Chair of the new Scottish Police Authority to ensure a smooth transition to the new service, which aims to go live on 1 April 2013. It will bring together the current eight police forces, the Scottish Police Services Authority (SPSA) and the Scottish Crime and Drug Enforcement Agency (SCDEA) into a single service.

He or she is expected to be appointed in October. The BBC report that the salary for the new Chief Constable will be £208,000 per annum.

The Police Service of Scotland will remove unnecessary and costly duplication freeing up resources for frontline provision and saving £1.4 billion over 15 years. There are currently eight Chief Constables, nine Deputy Chief Constables and 13 Assistant Chief Constables costing around £3.5m every year.

Justice Secretary Kenny MacAskill said:-

“This is a historic opportunity for the first Chief Constable to shape and lead the new Police Service of Scotland. They will work closely with the Chair of the new Scottish Police Authority, who will hold the Chief Constable and the new service to account. It’s a unique and exciting time to be part of the police service in Scotland – recorded crime is at a 37 year low and there are record numbers of police officers in communities. Policing in Scotland is already excellent – but the new service gives us a unique opportunity to do more and build on those strengths.

“The role will be one of the most demanding and high profile policing posts in the UK, leading engagement with the public, private and voluntary sectors across Scotland, the UK and internationally. The new Chief Constable will be a role model for the values of the police service, providing inspirational leadership, determining the future shape of policing as part of an ambitious programme of public service reform across Scotland. We brought forward this appointment to maintain momentum, ensure a smooth transition and leadership of the service through change so Scotland continues to have an excellent police service fit for the 21^st Century.”