POLICE Scotland has launched a hunt for its next chief constable, offering a salary of more than £230,000.

The current Chief Constable, Iain Livingstone, announced his intention to retire this summer during a meeting of the authority on February 23.

The authority has now launched a recruitment campaign for his replacement to lead the UK’s second-largest force, commanding a full salary of £232,452.

It said it is looking for a leader who can build on the effectiveness, operational competence and achievements of Scotland’s police service while ensuring that it adapts to meet growing and increasingly complex challenges.

The appointment will be on a two-year fixed-term basis and Livingstone’s replacement is set to be announced in June.

A selection panel made up of policing leaders and Scottish Government officials will put candidates to the test.

Martyn Evans, chairman of the Scottish Police Authority, who will lead a panel to appoint a new chief constable, said: “The chief constable of Police Scotland is one of the most significant policing roles in the UK.

“Ten years on from police reform we can look back on the last decade with conviction, knowing that efforts and challenges have delivered a service that is better than anything that preceded it.

“A solid foundation exists for that reform and improvement to continue.

“Police Scotland has a dedicated workforce and commands strong public support. The next chief constable must build on that support as the service continues to adapt to meet the needs of Scotland’s communities.”