A planned merger of police services in the north-east could provide an “enhanced frontline” by cutting down on top management posts, a senior officer has argued.
The force announced on Wednesday night that it is consulting with staff and local communities on the proposals to combine the Aberdeen and Aberdeenshire and Moray divisions.
The shake-up has been suggested a year-and-a-half after the formation of Police Scotland, which was created through amalgamating eight regional bodies.
Mark McLaren, chief superintendent for Aberdeenshire and Moray, said the latest plans were by no means set in stone, but could improve the way the force operates.
“What we have got currently in the north-east is two separate policing divisions that effectively work as one in everything but name,” he said.
“The point that we have got to, is quite bluntly, rather than two separate command teams sitting of a morning and considering like issues, there is a real strength in having one command team led by one chief superintendent so that we can be as efficient as we possibly can be.”
However, Chief Supt McLaren said the “managerial restructuring” would not mean job cuts.
He added: “There are no intentions in the proposals that will see any job losses or police establishment reductions, whether that is support staff or police officers.”
The Scottish Government aims to save £1.1billion by 2026 through the creation of Police Scotland. Chief Supt McLaren admitted the “finance can’t be ignored”.
He added: “The community will rightly be interested in how the public pound is spent.
“Would they rather that pound was spent on two chief superintendents, or would they rather that pound was spent on one chief superintendent and an enhanced frontline operation.”
Mr McLaren also moved to reassure communities in the north-east that their local policing teams will stay intact, whether the officers were in “Turriff or Torry”.
He added: “There is nothing in these proposals that will change our current structure of local policing teams across the region.”
Politicians were not so sure, however. Labour MSP Lewis Macdonald said the plans would cause “grave concern” among staff and the general public.
Liberal Democrat MSP Alison McInnes said: “There is little rhyme or reason as to how one police division can possibly be better for the north-east than three local police divisions.”
A similar process in the west of Scotland could merge divisions covering Argyll and Bute, Inverclyde and Renfrewshire.