SCOTLAND is to have a single non-emergency number to make it easier to contact the police, and a specialist crime unit to co-ordinate the fight against terrorism and organised crime.

Chief Constable Kevin Smith, the president of the Association of Chief Police Officers in Scotland (Acpos), said the new Police Service of Scotland will introduce 101, the new non-emergency number, and a Specialist Crime Directorate.

The 101 number has already been introduced south of the Border and will make local police station numbers redundant.

Speaking at the annual Acpos conference in Dunblane, Mr Smith said: "We are planning for some clear change for day one. Plans that fit perfectly with the objectives of reform, in ensuring we build on and improve local policing, while delivering specialist resources more equitably across Scotland.

"So our plan is to introduce a single non-emergency number across Scotland, so that no matter where you are, dialling three digits, 101, will get you through to your local police contact centre, whether that is in Glasgow or in Shetland."

It also emerged murders will be dealt with by national specialists under the plans.

Assistant Chief Constable Iain Livingstone, of Lothian and Borders Police, said the new Specialist Crime Directorate will deal with all homicides.

He said: "It will handle all homicides, overt and covert investigations and incorporate all intelligence-led and covert capabilities. There will be a single command but the officers and specialists will be located all over Scotland."

It will incorporate specialists from the Scottish Crime and Drug Enforcement Agency (SCDEA), which will no longer exist in April 2013, special branch members from the current eight forces, covert surveillance teams and specialists in human trafficking, organised crime and violence.

Mr Smith, who is leading the reforms that will see the eight Scottish forces amalgamated into one, pointed out that chief officers have been fettered in their proposals by Scottish Government pledges which mean they have to maintain police numbers and make no compulsory redundancies whilst making massive budget cuts.

He told delegates: "That's not to say that we are unfettered. We have some fairly significant restrictions placed upon us through maintaining police numbers, no compulsory redundancy, a dispersed model, and no significant outsourcing."

Mr Smith also said losing control rooms after the merger is too high a risk, adding: "To try and reduce and rationalise our contact centres and control rooms is too high-risk in the short-term."