Police chiefs have been urged to give the public their say on plans to axe emergency control rooms in the north and north-east.
The Scottish Police Authority (SPA) board will be asked today to rubber-stamp proposals for a new model of three call centres for the whole of Scotland- in Glasgow, Edinburgh and Dundee.
The former Grampian Police and Northern Constabulary areas would be covered by the Tayside call centre in an overhaul that Police Scotland said would save between £5.2million and £6.8million a year.
Labour MSP Lewis Macdonald said communities in the north and north-east would be “rightly concerned” about future levels of service.
He said: “Police Scotland recently held public consultations on proposed closures of police station counters and the future of traffic wardens.
“Closing control rooms will have an even greater impact on our communities, yet it appears there are currently no plans for a full public consultation.
“Before making such drastic cuts, the SPA must at least allow the public to have their say.”
On a visit yesterday to the old Grampian force headquarters in Queen Street, Aberdeen, Justice Secretary Kenny MacAskill defended the shake-up, but insisted decision-making was a matter for the board. He said: “These decisions are operational and, quite correctly, we have taken the view there should not be political interference in operational matters.”
Mr MacAskill also played down fears that the closure of control rooms in Aberdeen and Inverness would result in a loss of local knowledge.
He said: “What the new service will provide is not simply to know where an individual is phoning from, but to know where the nearest officer is that can best be deployed.
“We will provide the best possible service for the 21st century, factoring in, as already happens, that local knowledge.”
However, Campbell Thomson, the new assistant chief constable for the north command area, admitted there would be a “transition process”. He said: “It is up to us to ensure checks and balances are absolutely in place, so that those local issues are dealt with and picked up on.”
Local MSPs remained unconvinced of the case for reorganisation last night.
North East Conservative member Nanette Milne said Mr MacAskill’s “hastily arranged” visit showed that the minister was “out of touch” with the region.