Senior police chiefs have accused civil servants and ministers of deliberately attempting to centralise power and undermine the independence of policing through recent changes to the inspectorate.

Senior police chiefs have accused civil servants and ministers of deliberately attempting to centralise power and undermine the independence of policing through recent changes to the inspectorate.

The Association of Chief Police Officers in Scotland (Acpos) and police boards, including Strathclyde Police Authority, have written to Kenny MacAskill, the Justice Secretary, warning that the current arrangements risk undermining the credibility and independence of the post and places him at "substantial risk".

Established more than 150 years ago, the £180,000-a-year role is prominent in providing independent advice to ministers and holding Scotland's eight forces and other police bodies to account.

However, when Paddy Tomkins retired as chief inspector in April he was not replaced and ministers said the role was "under review".

Bill Skelly, an assistant chief constable seconded from Lothian and Borders, has now been appointed as the head of the inspectorate under royal warrant but he will not be the "chief inspector" and will receive a salary some £30,000 lower.

Traditionally, the chief inspector has held chief constable rank, but on June 24 Mr MacAskill created a Scottish Policing Board and said the inspectorate would continue under Mr Skelly.

The move follows heightened tensions between chief constables and the government in relation to how many forces their should be in future and how national issues such as counter- terrorism should be handled.

Colin McKerracher, one of Scotland's most senior chief constables, told The Herald: "This is not what chief constables nor police boards want. The government has fudged the issue by saying the current arrangement will continue.

"We need someone who can stand up to chief constables, look them in the eye and say they don't think they're doing things properly. Bill Skelly was a junior Acpos officer before being seconded to the inspectorate and I don't think he has the experience to challenge chief constables. It is unfair to ask someone with his experience to take on that role.

"In essence it will sideline the inspectorate and I think this is what some people are wanting to do. The danger is that civil servants in taking this decision actually weaken that independent voice and that gives them more power to drive their own agenda.

"It is drawing the minister into decision-making which could leave him vulnerable and open to criticism in operational matters. It is a really dangerous precedent and despite government having consulted with the key stakeholders, they have decided to ignore us."

A Scottish Government spokesman said: "The Scottish Government greatly values the role played by Her Majesty's Inspectorate of Constabulary, including the independent advice it provides to all policing partners.

"The Inspectorate continues to effectively fill this important role under the leadership of Her Majesty's Inspector of Constabulary, who has the full support of the Scottish Government."