By Sheila Mckenzie-
Highly accomplished and celebrated Police Scotland Chief, Ian Livingstone, is to retire from his post. after announcing plans to leave the post during a meeting of the Scottish Police Authority.
Sir Iain Livingstone QPM, (pictured)a well respected and influential police chief, Livingstone currently has overall command and responsibility for the Police Service of Scotland and leads 23,000 officers and staff serving communities across a third of the United Kingdom’s landmass.
A credit to the Scottish Police Force, Sir Iain Livingstone is a police boss of much substance who provides quality leadership to his force.
Always available to provide useful advice to individuals and organisations, his legal expertise and wealth of knowledge has been instrumental to a cross section of society, including The Eye Of Media.Com. Sir Iain is an advocate of responsible policing and abhors any corrupt conduct in the police force.
In 2015, the decorated Police Chief was awarded the Queen’s Police Medal and was knighted by Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth in June 2022 for services to policing and the public.
Joining Lothian and Borders Police in 1992, Sir Iain served in detective and uniform roles in Edinburgh and West Lothian, leading a number of major investigations and operations. As Detective Superintendent, he played a key role in the security operation around the G8 meeting in 2005 and headed the murder investigation into the double shooting at the Marmion Bar in Edinburgh.
After being promoted to Detective Chief Superintendent, he commanded the force’s Criminal Investigation Department and undertook an external attachment as a senior investigator to the Police Ombudsman for Northern Ireland.
Following the completion of the Strategic Command Course, Sir Iain was appointed Assistant Chief Constable for Lothian and Borders Police in April 2009, with responsibility for Crime and Operations. As ACC, he was Gold commander for many significant events including the visit to Edinburgh of Pope Benedict XVI in 2010.
During work in 2012 to form Police Scotland, Sir Iain was appointed Deputy Chief Constable Crime and Operational Support. In this role, he created national specialist capabilities and oversaw the move to the multi-agency Scottish Crime Campus at Gartcosh.
He told the (SPA) board last week, said: “By my last day in service, I will have been a police officer for 31 years and had the privilege of serving as chief constable for nearly six of those years.
“Police Scotland is an organisation with shared values and high levels of operational competence. The service improvements achieved in our ten years are unprecedented across the UK public sector, delivering effective policing for the public.
“We now have a full leadership team with the experience and capability to continue the progress made and can take confidence from the exceptional role Police Scotland played through Covid, COP26 and the events following the death of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth.”
He added: “The police officers and police staff of Police Scotland are outstanding. Leading them as chief constable to serve the people of Scotland has been the honour of my working life.”
Martyn Evans, chair of the SPA, said: “Sir Iain has been integral to delivering the vision of a single national police service and transforming policing over the last decade. In doing so, he has shown great imagination, courage and created stability. He has led the service with dignity, grace and distinction through significant major events and challenges. We are immensely grateful for his contribution and leadership.”
Scottish Justice Secretary Keith Brown paid tribute to Sir Iain for his “long and distinguished service to Scottish policing”.
“As chief constable of Scotland he has led the force through what history will show to be hugely significant events,” said Mr Brown.
“The successful policing of COP26, when the world’s focus was on Glasgow, has been widely applauded as was Police Scotland’s response to the Covid-19 pandemic. During that time, officers were praised for their measured and proportionate handling of an unprecedented crisis, and we have Sir Iain to thank for that strategic direction.
“Most recently, the sensitive and effective policing operation put in place following the death of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth provided a fitting tribute. Again, Sir Iain can be rightly proud of the strong and inspiring leadership he provided, which drove forward the whole Police Scotland response.
“Sir Iain leaves the second largest force in the UK in great shape as it prepares to mark its tenth anniversary – and that is a fitting and lasting legacy to his life of service.”
Sir Iain has led the single national service for six years, as interim chief from 2017 before being formally appointed as chief constable in 2018.
He leads 23,000 officers and staff serving communities across a third of the UK’s landmass.
Joining Lothian and Borders Police in 1992, Sir Iain served in detective and uniform roles in Edinburgh and West Lothian, leading a number of major investigations and operations.
As a detective superintendent, he played a key role in the security operation around the G8 meeting in 2005 and headed the murder investigation into the double shooting at the Marmion Bar in Edinburgh.
A law graduate from the university of Aberdeen and The University of Strathclyde, Sir Ian practiced as a solicitor in Edinburgh, Glasgow, and London before joining the police service.
A Fulbright Scholar, Sir Iain also graduated with a master’s degree from John Jay College of Criminal Justice, City University of New York.
Sir Iain is active across the justice sector and was a member of the Scottish Sentencing Council. He continues to advise on the Operation Kenova investigation into matters during The Troubles in Northern Ireland.
The quality of his leadership to the police force is one that other police forces in the Uk can learn from.