THE TWO men at the top of Scotland’s new police force have been accused of empire building.
Politicians have issued an ultimatum to Chief Constable Stephen House, of the Police Service of Scotland, and Vic Emery, the chairman of its scrutiny body the Scottish Police Authority, over their squabbling surrounding the formation of the country’s single force.
MSPs will write to both men “as a matter of urgency” and urge them to follow the lead of the Scotland’s single Fire and Rescue Service when it comes to the merger.
Both Mr House and Mr Emery sought separate legal advice over who controls police support staff under the terms of legislation which will merge the existing eight regional forces by April.
Holyrood’s justice committee said there must be a resolution by January 18. Committee members said the fire service appeared to have had no problem dealing with the same transition to a single force.
Independent MSP John Finnie said: “Two empires have been built and it may be that trains are running that should be stopped at this early stage.”
Labour MSP Graeme Pearson said trade unions are not being kept up to date with progress and said there seems to be a clash of personalities.
The former policeman said a “shadow group” appears to be emerging in the police authority which will replicate functions elsewhere.
He said: “(The process is) being conducted at public expense and with some degree of public concern.”
“This was supposed to be about reducing management costs in order to protect front-end services. This doesn’t reflect best practice and it seems to me the board has enough to do to bring a police service to account and to show good governance.”
Committee convener, the SNP’s Christine Grahame, said she would write to both top police officers as a matter of urgency, urging them to follow the “sensible” approach taken by the fire and rescue service.
Both Mr House and Mr Emrey have previously told the justice committee they have taken their own legal advice to discern what their roles and responsibilities would be and pledged to present this advice to members.
Mr House believes they should be under his supervision at the new police HQ while Mr Emery believes they should remain closer to the civilian structure.
Last month, Justice Secretary Kenny MacAskill told MSPs the two figures had almost resolved the issue, describing them as being “95% there”.
kiandrews@thecourier.co.uk