The chief executive of the Scottish Police Authority has been criticised for taking a holiday less than two months before the country’s single force comes into being.
Andrea Quinn, an interim appointment with the body that will hold the new Police Service of Scotland to account, is understood to be holidaying abroad.
She will return to work six weeks before the country’s forces merge from eight to one.
Unison Scottish Police staff committee chairman George McIrvine said that her decision to take the holiday “smacked of arrogance on a major scale”.
He added: “Our members are fearful of taking holidays or leave and people are working seven days a week to ensure the merger runs as smoothly as possible.
“People are fearing for their jobs and are fearing what will be the unknown come April so for someone to decide to take a three-week holiday sends out the wrong message.
“How are we going to get value for money when highly-trained civilian staff are losing their jobs through police officers being taken off the street to backfill desk jobs and highly paid chief executives are going on holiday at crucial times?”
Ms Quinn was appointed chief executive officer of the Scottish Police Services Authority (SPSA), on a salary of £113,000, in 2010 and was positioned in her role in November.
Labour justice spokesman Lewis Macdonald said: “Given the ongoing difficulties between the SPA and the single police service, and given that we are just two months away from the single force getting up and running, now is an odd time for such a senior figure to choose to go on holiday.
“This is precisely the time when leadership is needed to get the single force up and running. I have to wonder why anyone in this position would go off on holiday when they are needed most.”
An SPA spokeswoman confirmed Ms Quinn had taken annual leave from last Friday until February 18 but insisted she would be contactable throughout.
Head of communications and public affairs John McCroskie is deputising on day-to-day management and John Geates, interim chief executive of the Scottish Police Services Authority, is offering senior strategic support during Ms Quinn’s holiday.
The spokeswoman said: “Vic Emery and other SPA board members are actively involved in the day-to-day work to get ready for the day one of the new single service.
“Preparatory work within the Scottish Police Authority is on track and the board will continue to scrutinise the readiness of SPA for day one while Andrea is on leave.
“This does not impact on the board’s ability to make the critical decisions required for day one.”