Critics of outgoing Police Scotland chief constable Sir Stephen House have said his successor must take drastic action to restore faith in the force.
Sir Stephen announced on Thursday that he will stand down in December, nine months earlier than planned.
Appointed chief constable before the creation of the national force, his tenure has been dogged by controversy over tactics, management style and, more recently, the death of two people in a car crash not investigated by police for three days.
Former Tayside Police Assistant Chief Constable Angela Wilson said whoever follows him must come from outside Police Scotland.
“I am delighted but he should have gone a long time ago, as he has seriously undermined trust in the police,” she said.
“I believe the vast majority of staff will be absolutely delighted that he is going. The new leader needs to be more accountable, more transparent and far more consultative with the community and their staff.”
High-profile solicitor Aamer Anwar described Stephen House as a “convenient scapegoat”.
Mr Anwar is representing the family of Sheku Bayoh, whose death in Kirkcaldy while in police custody is subject to an investigation by the Police Investigations and Review Commissioner.
He said: “In the last month Stephen House had become a convenient scapegoat for all the problems in Police Scotland. It would be extremely dangerous if the Scottish Government now believe that the problems are resolved by the departure of the Chief Constable.”
Graeme Pearson, Scottish Labour’s justice spokesman and a former deputy chief constable of Strathclyde Police, said: “Police Scotland has been an organisation without proper oversight for too long and has had to endure cuts from the SNP Government which have left the force under-resourced and over-worked.”
But there were also tributes paid to Sir Stephen.
First Minister Nicola Sturgeon thanked him for his “years of dedicated service” with Strathclyde Police and Police Scotland. She said: “Strong policing has ensured recorded crime is at a 40-year low.
“Reform of policing in Scotland was absolutely vital to sustain the policing upon which Scotland’s communities depend and Sir Stephen’s contribution to that was invaluable.”
Scottish Women’s Aid chief executive Dr Marsha Scott said Sir Stephen had left Scotland’s policing of domestic abuse at a standard “unmatched anywhere”.