One of Scotland�s most senior police officers has called for the main emergency services � including police, fire, and ambulance � to share control rooms.

One of Scotland's most senior police officers has called for the main emergency services - including police, fire, and ambulance - to share control rooms.

Colin McKerracher, chief constable of Grampian Police and president of the Association of Chief Police Officers (Acpos) for the past two years, has waded into the debate on the future of Scotland's public services with a call for a different model: far greater joint working, including single regional call centres for local authorities and health boards.

His comments come just days after The Herald revealed that Stephen House, chief constable of Strathclyde, and Kevin Mathieson, chief constable of Tayside, want to see a national debate on whether Scotland would be best served by a single police force and about how to deal with the growing threat from areas such as human trafficking.

Speaking exclusively to The Herald, Mr McKerracher raised grave concerns about gaps in current national policing to counter-terrorism and serious organised crime. He said: "Some would argue that England and Wales have had huge investment when we have not. I don't think restructuring is the answer. We have no hard evidence to support restructuring. In fact, the figures a few years ago indicated that it would cost £100m to move to three (police) forces. It would be better to invest that money in the gaps we have in counter-terrorism and organised crime.

"Serious fraud and other national risks need to be co-ordinated by an appropriate central unit, utilising skilled staff from across Scotland on an as-needed basis."

More radically, he believes all public services and local authorities should be looked at simultaneously.

"I agree with those who say that there is further to go in terms of shared services," he said. "There should only be eight control rooms in Scotland, with fire, ambulance and police within the same rooms, and we should be moving to single call centres within the regions of Scotland, covering police forces, fire, local authorities and health.

"These are changes that can be made in the short-term that will save money and bring efficiency to our joint operations.

"There is no suggestion that Scotland should have one local authority that covers the whole of the country and any reform of the police service needs to remain in line with public service boundaries."

Last month, Paddy Tomkins, Her Majesty's Chief Inspector of Constabulary, called for Scotland's eight police forces to be amalgamated into one. He also criticised Acpos for a lack of "accountability".

However, Mr McKerracher, former deputy chief constable at Strathclyde Police, made it clear he disagrees with such a view and openly criticised those who have supported it.

"In the past we were criticised for a local approach to many issues operational and organisational," he said. "Our political masters and stakeholders sought stronger leadership and decision- making, greater shared services and evidenced efficiencies.

"We now do all of these things and now when we speak with one voice we're suddenly unaccountable.'"