SIR Stephen House set up his own private company in his final weeks on the job as chief constable of Police Scotland.
House’s time as chief constable was rocked by a series of scandals over police spending, the deployment of armed officers and stop and search powers.
Last year House announced that he would retire in 2016, but amid the many rows he brought his departure date forward to December.
But now it has been revealed that he set up his own private company – Sarantium Solutions – whilst still on the payroll for his £208,000 position.
The news comes after revelations that House cancelled 33 appointments and meetings in his last two months on the job.
House also appears to be moving on from Scotland, as the troubled chief has put his Helensburgh home on the market.
Sarantium Solutions was incorporated on October 22 – with House listed as the director and a co-shareholder with his wife.
The address provided for the company is the £1.3m London property the couple bought in Westminster in 2012 – just weeks after House was put in charge of organising Police Scotland.
It is not currently known what services the business will provide, but senior law enforcement officials often go on to provide security consulting work to private partners.
A policing source explained that House would be “well placed” to offer such services.
It is also thought House could collect bumper payouts as a public speaker at private events, as he is currently booked to give a speech at the Royal Scots Club lunch in March.
When announcing his early retirement last year, House said: “From building confidence in victims coming forward to report crimes, to improving our ability to respond to major incidents and events – I am proud of the hard work and commitment to the public police officers and staff deliver each and every day.”
But John Finnie – justice spokesman for the Scottish Greens – said: “The public would rightly expect a senior public servant like a chief constable to devote all their energies to the task for which they are well renumerated, rather than be distracted by future self interests.”
Niven Rennie – president of the Association of Scottish Police Superintendents added: “Stephen House has been a chief officer for over a dozen years.
“He has been a chief constable for around nine years and was of course chief constable of the single force.
“He has a lot of change management skills and also has counter-terrorism knowledge. I would have thought these skills would be of huge interest.”
House could not be reached for comment.
