Angry MPs and tax campaigners have criticised Scotland's cash-strapped police chiefs for handing out almost £24 million in bonuses to officers since the recession began in 2008.
Hundreds of officers were given extra payouts for "unpleasant" tasks such as clearing snow, attending the scene of a car accident and for duties as vague as "working on a police operation".
Higher-ranking staff were also given bonuses for undisclosed reasons, with some pocketing one-off payments of more than £25,000 on top of their regular salaries.
Scotland's executive officers – classed as superintendent level and above – were paid £1,281,087.60 in bonuses between April 2008 and February this year.
The biggest individual payout went to Strathclyde Police's Chief Constable Stephen House, who was given £25,150.92 in a one-off bonus payment in 2008/09 on top of his salary.
In total, Scotland's police officers have been given £23,860,262 in bonuses since 2008.
Jonathan Isaby, of TaxPayerScotland, said: "This appears to be yet another example of bonuses being handed out as a matter of course to all and sundry just for doing their job."
A spokesman for the Association of Chief Police Officers in Scotland said: "Since 2007, bonuses are part of the senior officer contract."
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