Iain Livingstone appointed Chief Constable of Police Scotland

Iain Livingstone

Iain Livingstone was appointed by the Scottish Police Authority (SPA) following an assessment process running over six weeks.

Mr Yousaf, who approved the SPA’s appointment, said: “As Chief Constable of the UK’s second largest police service, Iain will mobilise the skills and expertise of more than 22,000 dedicated officers and staff who have built up national specialist capabilities to tackle key issues of public concern and, alongside community safety partners, contributed to crime falling by around a third from a decade ago and more people feeling safe in their local area.

“Iain will head up a strong senior officer team, providing stability, support and clear direction for Police Scotland’s officers and staff in the months and years ahead. I look forward to working with the new Chief Constable and the SPA as the service continues to strengthen national and local partnerships and how it works with the public in order to help keep crime down and communities safe.”

Scottish Liberal Democrat leader Willie Rennie said: “Iain Livingstone now inherits, on a permanent basis, an organisation that faces a wide range of challenges.

“Officers recently warned that they are so stretched that beat policing has ‘effectively died off entirely’ in some areas while everything about the merger of the British Transport Police points to it needing to be halted.

“Problems are hardwired into the structures of Scottish policing as a result of the SNP’s botched centralisation. Without change, they will persist, irrespective of who is in the leading roles. That is why we need an independent expert commission to recommend reform and repair the damage. That is the kind of reset Police Scotland needs.”