Nicola Sturgeon loans press chief to Police Scotland

Nicola Sturgeon is to loan the head of her government’s press office to Scotland’s beleaguered police force to help improve its public image, the Telegraph can disclose.

Fiona Wilson, the Scottish Government’s head of news, will move to Police Scotland next week to start a six-month secondment as communications chief with the hope of turning round some of its negative publicity.

The move comes after Phil Gormley replaced Sir Stephen House as chief constable following a series of controversies culminating in the M9 crash scandal.

Criticism of Police Scotland reached fever pitch after officers took three days to respond to a report of a crashed vehicle by the side of the motorway.

When they finally arrived, John Yuill was found dead and his girlfriend, Lamara Bell, conscious and trying to escape. However, the 25-year-old mother-of-two died later in hospital

The force also faced intense criticism over Sir Stephen’s high-handed response to concerns raised about the excessive use of stop-and-search powers, spying on a journalist’s sources and the deployment of armed officers on routine patrols.

Sources said Ms Wilson faces a tough job to improve morale in the force’s “disgruntled” communications team following the barrage of bad publicity.

Police Scotland’s head of communications job has been vacant since April last year when the previous incumbent, Alison Shields, a former spokesman for the First Minister, was appointed the force’s “strategic and communications adviser.”

A Scottish Government spokesman said: “Fiona is taking up a six month secondment with Police Scotland next week. She will work with them to further develop their communications function as the organisation moves into the next phase of police service transformation in Scotland.

“Secondments are an important way to share expertise and experience and are common practice across the public sector.”

But Willie Rennie, the Scottish Liberal Democrat leader, said: “It will take more than first-class communicator to turn round the performance of Police Scotland. We need action from the inside, not a glossy story.”

The appointment emerged as the Tories said the absence rate in Police Scotland’s call centres had almost reached the same level as June 205, when the M9 tragedy occurred.

They highlighted Scottish Police Authority papers showing an absence rate of 9.2 per cent last month. It was 9.3 per cent when the tragedy occurred but subsequently dropped to 4.5 per cent.

Margaret Mitchell, Scottish Tory justice spokesman, said: “This situation needs to be closely monitored, especially in light of the senior management changes in Police Scotland over recent months. After the tragedy last July, no one can afford to drop the ball.”

An SPA spokesman said the situation was being “closely monitored.” He added: “Absence is not the only factor in addressing the capacity of the call handling operation within Police Scotland, and it is important to note there has also been welcome improvements over the last six months in the recruitment and retention of staff where there were previously vacancies.”