Chief Constable Iain Livingstone has signalled a reshuffle at the top of Police Scotland as he formally took up his post.
The 26-year veteran formally began a four-year term of office on Monday after effectively running the national force for months.
Mr Livingstone, in an address to staff and officers, immediately signalled a review of who does what in his leadership team, including his DCCs or deputy chief constables.
He said: “A strong executive team is in place to support me in that job. Our newest DCC, Will Kerr, starts work with us on Monday 3 September. I have asked DCC Fiona Taylor to conduct a short review of the command structure, after which I will confirm executive portfolios.”
Mr Livingstone played a key role in appointing both Mr Kerr and Ms Taylor and will be in a position, along with the chairman of the Scottish Police Authority, to put in place a succession plan
The new chief constable in his address to Police Scotland workers also rehearsed the mantra which insiders believe helped him get his job.
Scottish policing, he again acknowledged, has “come through through a challenging period with renewed purpose”
He added: “”I acknowledge that we didn’t get everything right at the outset of Police Scotland.
“The need to maintain an operational grip on policing meant that sometimes we moved too quickly, we didn’t engage with our communities sufficiently. We were seen to impose national policies on local areas. Consistency and compliance came before local diversity.
“That approach has brought benefits. For example, we can now say with certainty that every homicide in Scotland is dealt with to the highest possible standard.
“I have said it before, but it is important to keep saying it: policing in Scotland is strong.”
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The Liberal Democrats, which opposed a single force, latched on to the remarks. But justice spokesman Liam McArthur said Mr Livingstone’s words would not “address the structural problems that have afflicted each and every police boss.
He added: “An independent expert commission is needed to repair that damage and inject localism, democracy and transparency back into the whole system.”
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