A senior police officer has been suspended from duty while he is investigated for an alleged incident of public indecency.
Chief Superintendent Gareth Blair was allegedly found by colleagues engaged in sexual activity with a woman, who is not his wife, at a park-and-ride facility last Tuesday.
The claims were referred to the Police Investigations and Review Commissioner, which launched a probe.
Blair, 48, is believed to have been suspended over the weekend after he was summoned to St Leonard’s police station in Edinburgh.
A source said: “He was accompanied by an assistant chief constable then escorted to his office by a chief superintendent and told to clear his desk before he was escorted out.
“He’s likely to be suspended until the PIRC and the Crown Office have carried out their investigations.”
Blair, who was on a golfing holiday when news of his arrest became public, took up his current post as commander of Edinburgh Division last June.
He was originally quizzed by police after the alleged incident at the park and ride facility at Hermiston to the west of the city.
It’s not known if the woman allegedly involved, said to be in her 20s, has also been reported to the Procurator Fiscal.
A PIRC spokesman confirmed their probe but wouldn’t comment further.
Police Scotland said it could not comment on Blair’s suspension while the inquiry is under way.
Yesterday, we revealed that serving police officers are at the centre of 36 live investigations for alleged sexual crimes committed both on and off duty.
