POLICE chief, Dr Ian Oliver, finally bowed out at the end of his controversial career yesterday.
The Chief Constable of Grampian spent the weekend clearing his office and removing his personal possessions to his home in Aberdeen's west end.
His official leaving date was yesterday although his deputy David Beattie has been in operational charge since Dr Oliver agreed to take early retirement after photographs were published showing him in an intimate meeting with a young married woman he met through his church.
The senior policeman was forced to advance the date of his departure when Grampian Police came in for heavy criticism for their handling of the Scott Simpson murder inquiry.
Scottish Secretary Donald Dewar urged Dr Oliver to ''pack his bags and go''.
But the outspoken chief constable has not gone quietly, hitting out at the Scottish Secretary in a television interview, demanding payment of the legal fees he incurred trying to keep his job, and allegedly snubbing the Queen Mother.
One uniformed officer said yesterday: ''It is an end of an era - and what an era. We are definitely ready for a change.''
Dr Oliver will be replaced next week by Mr Andrew Brown, the present deputy chief constable at Lothian and Borders Police.
The departing police chief has not disclosed what the future holds for him but is known to be involved in negotiations with a number of newspapers and may well write more books on policing issues.
After eight years with Grampian Police, the 57-year-old will start his retirement today secure in the knowledge that he has a financial package which provides him with a lump sum of #140,000 and a pension of #35,000.
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