The “extraordinary” pay packet of Police Scotland’s top officers could pay to run Aberdeen control room “for several months”.
Lewis Macdonald MSP has slammed the “extravagant spending” on deputy chief constables’ salaries at a time of cut backs across the force.
Both Aberdeen and Inverness control rooms are due to close because of cut backs, despite fears it could put the public at risk.
Now, it has emerged that Scotland’s four deputy chief constables are paid a total of £700,000 a year, before their pensions are even added in.
Last night, north-east MSP Mr Macdonald said the sum made a mockery of suggestions Police Scotland was more cost effective than having separate forces.
He said: “This is extraordinary.
“It really comes to something when a deputy chief constable’s salary could pay for the cost of a control room for several months at least.
“The creation of a single force was promoted as a way to reduce the costs of senior officers, but far from reducing salaries it has clearly produced a system where people are earning far more than the going rate.
“(Before the single force), chief constables never would have been paid anything like this.
“It is really extravagant spending at a time of cut backs.”
On top of their £175,000 a year salary, senior police officers also receive significant pensions benefits.
Scottish Police Authority (SPA) accounts show that several senior officers saw rises in their pension pots over the last financial year.
According to the statement for 2013-14, one deputy chief constable for major events, Stephen Allen, had his pension pot rise by £648,000 based on current calculations.
Another, Iain Livingstone, had an increase of £327,000.
However, the SPA cautioned that this rise was due to an accounting anomaly and the officers would be unlikely to receive that much in reality.
A Police Scotland spokesman said: “Police Scotland has not made any officer redundant and any police staff reductions have come about through voluntary redundancy or early retirements.
“All Police Scotland deputy chief constables are on a salary scale set by the Scottish Government following recommendations from the Scottish Police Negotiating Board.”
A spokesman added: “Deputy chief constable Allen fulfills a national role with Police Scotland which has included the successful delivery of a safety and security programme for the Glasgow 2014 Commonwealth Games.”