The PSNI assistant chief constable has threatened to quit in a confidentiality row over the appointment of Northern Ireland's new police head.
Mr Alan McQuillan is considering his future after details of his bid for the top post were leaked. He has written to the new policing board asking what financial arrangements are available if he decides to stand down after 26 years of policing.
Mr McQuillan tonight refused to comment on his future.
"He's deeply concerned about the leaks and the way the chief constable's appointment was made," a source close to the police leadership in Belfast confirmed.
Mr McQuillan, 47, was among three candidates in the running for the chief constable's post but was among the first to publicly pledge his support to London Metropolitan officer Mr Huge Orde, who was chosen for the £130,000-a-year job.
Unionists on the policing board objected to the appointment, claiming none of the three were up to the job - a clear breach of confidentiality rules.
Mr McQuillan was furious, believing his reputation had been compromised and the position of Mr Orde seriously undermined.
Mr McQuillan is commander for the greater Belfast area and in charge of major security operations keeping rival Protestant and Catholic factions apart in the city's flashpoint interfaces.
His resignation would be a major blow to Secretary of State John Reid and his Security Minister Jane Kennedy who have depended on him to keep the sides apart. Tackling the bitter sectarian tensions which regularly erupt into open conflict has been a huge priority for Mr McQuillan. He has also enjoyed major successes in the fight against organised crime.
However, he has also been drawn into the controversy surrounding the Omagh bomb inquiry which marred Sir Ronnie Flanagan's final months as chief constable.
With police ombudsman Ms Nuala O'Loan facing a legal challenge from the Police Association over her damning report on the investigation into the August 1998 atrocity, Mr McQuillan has backed her stance.
He has submitted an affidavit contradicting his former boss's version of who was responsible for handling the probe.
PA