A top civilian finance boss at Police Scotland walked away with an early retirement package worth nearly £380,000 after an internal investigation dismissed his bullying complaint against the Chief Constable.
The Grievance and the Investigation
Deputy Chief Officer David Page, who earned up to £210,000 annually, lodged a formal grievance against Chief Constable Jo Farrell shortly after she started her role in October 2023. He accused her of "prolonged patterns of bullying".
Mr Page, 62, went off sick soon after Ms Farrell took up the £260,538-a-year post. His concerns partly centred on the unpaid advice she was receiving from Gary Ridley, an assistant chief officer at Durham Constabulary, on matters like budgets and strategy. Mr Page felt this sidelined him and led to disrespectful treatment.
However, a probe by the Scottish Police Authority (SPA) concluded that Ms Farrell had "no case to answer" regarding the allegations. Mr Page subsequently took voluntary early retirement in May 2024 after six months off sick.
The Secret Exit Package Revealed
Newly published SPA accounts for 2024/25 have revealed the full cost of his departure, which was kept confidential at the time. Mr Page's exit package was valued at £374,000. On top of this, the authority paid £9,000 to cover his legal fees.
When combined with his salary and pension benefits, his total remuneration for the year fell between £420,000 and £425,000. The SPA later clarified that the bulk of the £374,000 sum related to pension costs, not a direct payment.
The revelation comes as Police Scotland grapples with severe financial pressures, having warned of necessary "slash and burn" budget cuts and a potential £20 million shortfall.
Political and Public Backlash
The size of the payout has sparked significant criticism. Scottish Tory justice spokesman Liam Kerr stated: "Hard-pressed Scots will be stunned this former Police Scotland boss has pocketed such a massive golden goodbye."
He emphasised the strain on public funds, adding: "At a time when the police are facing yet more cuts... forking out this money to anyone is clearly a strain on taxpayers' cash."
The SPA defended the process, stating Mr Page left "under terms consistent with the current approved voluntary redundancy/voluntary early retirement scheme". They initially withheld details for "data privacy reasons".
This incident follows previous controversy for Chief Constable Farrell, who apologised in 2023 for using a police vehicle for a 120-mile journey to her home in Northumberland after a train cancellation. Gary Ridley was also in the car.
When questioned about Mr Ridley's involvement last year, Ms Farrell defended tapping into her professional network, stating he was someone who "bring[s] value to policing". Attempts were made to contact David Page for comment.
