New chief constable wants a more devolved Police Scotland

Police Scotland's new chief constable wants to “build a more empowered and devolved organisation'' to address local issues across the country.

Iain Livingstone believes the single force formed in 2013 valued consistency and compliance over local diversity in its early years.

He also said the force needs to adapt to take account of changes in society, particularly around technology and cyber crime.

In an interview with BBC Scotland he said: “I think we can deal with the multitude of demand. I don't think that we would have been able to had we not gone through the process of reform.

“We do need to have a capability to deal with international terrorism and we also need to be very close to our local communities.

“I think on my own personal reflection that in the early years we did value consistency, we did value compliance perhaps over local diversity.

“I think we recognise that and I want to build a more empowered and devolved organisation and I intend to do that.''

Mr Livingstone was confirmed as chief constable on Wednesday after months as the acting leader of the force.

He stepped in last autumn when former chief constable Phil Gormley was suspended during an investigation into gross misconduct allegations, which he denied, before quitting.

Other senior officers have been subject on investigations but when he was asked if there was a cultural problem with bullying and misogyny in Police Scotland, Mr Livingstone said: “I don't think there are at all. I think that misrepresents policing in a very unfair manner.

“We've just recently appointed five chief officers to the new team, three of them are women, but other than gender they have nothing else in common, they themselves are very diverse.

“Policing in Scotland is utterly committed to public service. It has a culture of service, of duty, and those are the strengths I want to build upon.

He added: “I want to continue to encourage the support for whistleblowing, I want to continue to encourage people to raise things, to speak openly.

“I am open, I am listening and I want all the leaders in Police Scotland - and that is every single man and woman who serves, whether they are a police officer or member of police staff - to conduct themselves with dignity.

“If there are concerns I'll taken them extremely seriously and deal with them.''

Mr Livingstone, who was a solicitor before joining Lothian and Borders Police

in 1992, will officially take up his new post on August 27 after topping a shortlist of candidates from across UK forces interviewed by the Scottish Police Authority.

His annual salary for the four-year fixed term post is £216,549.

Mr Livingstone was in interim charge of Police Scotland during Donald Trump's visit to Turnberry in July and said he will make sure the costs of the large-scale security operation are met by the UK Government.

He told BBC Scotland: “We're still totting up all the costs and all the consequences but we'll do that and we will absolutely be making sure we get the recompense that should be provided."