Tayside Police have defended the re-hiring of retired police offices in civilian posts to make use of their career-long experience and training.
Dozens of former officers have been given new jobs with the force some receiving pay of more than £30,000 a year while receiving their pensions.
A total of 44 former police officers have been re-employed by Tayside Police in civilian roles. The most high-profile example is one-time assistant chief constable, Clive Murray.
A month after retiring with over 32 years’ service under his belt, Mr Murray took on a new post at the force as civil contingencies coordinator.
On top of his police pension, it is a position that pays him somewhere in the region of £38,000 a year.
Mr Murray was unavailable for comment.
The full list of 44 officers, released under a Freedom of Information request, includes a number of former police constables, sergeants and inspectors.
Two former chief inspectors and a chief superintendent have also been employed in civilian staff posts.
Dave Hamilton, of the Police Federation in Tayside, declined to comment.
A police spokesman said: “Tayside Police is an equal opportunities employer committed to using fair principles. Police staff vacancies are open to applications from former police officers who often have the skills and experience developed during their police service that is required for certain police staff positions.
“The employment of former police officers in such roles has the added value to the force and the public purse of reducing the cost of training as skills have already been trained.”
The revelation has been slammed as an “incredible” example of the force failing to offer “proper value for money”.
Matthew Sinclair, of the TaxPayers’ Alliance, said: “Many taxpayers will find it incredible that so many police officers are able to enjoy their pension while still getting paid to work for the force.
“The police force need to show they are offering proper value for money and not wasting it providing excessive overall remuneration to staff able to pick up a pension and a pay cheque.”