Police Scotland Chief Constable Iain Livingston to retire

Addressing a meeting of the Scottish Police Authority (SPA), Sir Iain said that ten years after the merger of Scotland's eight forces, the new single force - the second largest in the UK - was "maturing" and had "delivered improved services for all our communities."

He said this "stability" meant it was the right time to look for a successor. 

However, Sir Iain's announcement came after he warned of "hard choices" following John Swinney's budget settlement. 

Funding for the SPA, which includes Police Scotland, has been set as £1.449 billion for the 2023/24 financial year, of that, £50.1m will cover the capital budget which focuses on the police fleet and technology improvements.

In a paper presented to the board, Sir Iain and Lynn Brown, chief executive of the SPA, warned that the wider cuts to public spending were also having an impact on Police Scotland's workforce. 

They said the force had "often absorbed the impact of wider public sector financial challenges and is taking responsibility in situations where the police service is not the most appropriate service to respond."

“This position is unsustainable in the long-term and detracts from the ability to intervene effectively at the critical end of risk and harm.”

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Sir Iain announced his decision to retire at the end of his update to the SPA board meeting. He said: "Our single national service in Scotland represents major public sector reform and has delivered significant value to the public and best value to the public purse. Operational competence has greatly benefited.

"A clear example of that being a record of responding and investigating and solving murders and our response to major events.

"Police Scotland played an exceptional role through the Covid pandemic, the COP 26 climate change summit, and the key events following the death of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth.

"I am hugely assured by the strength of our leadership team who share a mission with our outstanding and dedicated people, both officers and police staff, to serve our fellow citizens of Scotland now, and in the future." 

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Sir Iain said that with the "stability in place," he had "decided to retire from the Office of Chief Constable later this year."

"I will retire from policing in the summer. I will have served as a police officer for 31 years, with the privilege of leading Police Scotland for six, as interim chief from 2017 and following my formal appointment as Chief Constable in 2018.

"That continuity has been important to stabilise the police service of Scotland.

"As I consistently say, policing is relentless.

"I consider the stability which now exists will endure through and also enable a managed transition to a new chief constable over the coming months. I will work relentlessly to ensure this occurs.

"The police officers and the police staff of Police Scotland deliver an outstanding public service. Leading them as Chief Constable to serve the people of Scotland has been the honour of my working life."

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Paying tribute to Sir Iain, Justice Secretary Keith Brown said the chief had "led the force through what history will show to be hugely significant events."

He added: “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.”

Martyn Evans, the Chair of the Scottish Police Authority paid tribute to the outgoing top cop, saying he had "led the service with distinction through unprecedented events."

He said: "Paul Keating, a former Prime Minister of Australia, says leadership has always been about two main things, imagination, and courage. And you have both in abundance."

Mr Evans said Sir Iain had "transformed policing."

"You have led from the front on the duty of care for Scotland's communities to support their well-being and often talk about your duty to promote well-being as well as enforce the law, a critical distinction about policing in Scotland, which I'm very, very aware of. 

"You have embraced being the leader of the public service in Scotland, open to probably the most scrutiny, the fullest scrutiny, and sometimes highly critical scrutiny. 
And you're borne that with dignity, and good grace."

He continued: "You have led the service with distinction through unprecedented events.
The extraordinary public health crisis of Covid, which at the time seemed almost overwhelming, but we had stability, bandwidth, and intelligent application of policing led by you throughout that process.

"You led the Cop 26 event in Glasgow, the largest policing operation ever in the UK, and that went successfully, a huge amount of planning. And you and your team delivered the meticulous arrangement for the death of Her Majesty the Queen. So thank you."

Secretary of State for Scotland Alister Jack paid tribute to the retiring Chief. He said: “I thank Iain Livingstone for his long and dedicated service with Police Scotland.

"He has played a key role in ensuring the security of the whole of the United Kingdom as part of the UK’s policing family.

"I am particularly grateful to him for his role in delivering a safe and secure COP26 in Glasgow. I wish Sir Iain well in whatever he decides to do next.“

Scottish Liberal Democrat justice spokesperson Liam McArthur said Sir Iain deserved "thanks for his service and dedication to leading Scotland’s police service."

However, he pointed out that in the ten years, the single force had now had three Chief Constables. This, he said, "points to much deeper issues."

He added: “Problems are hardwired into the structures of Scottish policing as a result of the SNP's botched centralisation. Ministerial distraction has added to their burden. 

“The police are picking up the pieces of the mental health crisis because NHS services are overwhelmed.

"We need to recruit a legion of specialist mental health staff to work alongside the police to get people the expert help they need, enabling officers to focus on fighting crime instead of being social workers of last resort. 

“It is time to inject accountability and localism back into policing, transform mental health services, and scrap plans that would repeat the mistakes of centralisation in social care.”

Scottish Tory shadow justice secretary Jamie Greene said: “It’s hard to avoid the conclusion that the Chief Constable’s premature departure is linked to his stark warning that Police Scotland is ‘unsustainable’ in its current form due to SNP underfunding – particularly given that his contract was due to run until 2025.

“The Scottish Police Authority report, in Sir Iain Livingstone’s name, could not be clearer about the impact of the Nationalists’ cuts to the policing budget, which has seen officer numbers fall to their lowest level since 2008.

“Our dedicated police officers are being asked to do more with less by SNP ministers – and, as well as being a totally unrealistic expectation, it appears to have cost them the services of Police Scotland’s top officer. He leaves with a distinguished record and I wish him well for his retirement.

“The SNP must heed Sir Iain’s parting, warning shot, and whoever replaces him must be given the resources necessary by them to deliver the level of service our police officers want to offer and which the public expect.”

Scottish Labour Justice Spokesperson Pauline McNeill said the resignation was a "worrying development which reflects a police force that is on the brink."

She added: “I would like to thank Sir Iain Livingstone for his public service in some of the most difficult times policing in Scotland has faced.

“I am personally very disappointed for the police force to be losing such a dedicated officer. Livingston has not been shy about calling out the Scottish government on police numbers and other key issues affecting the force.  He will be a hard act to follow.  

"Officers are being pushed to their limits and have had their concerns dismissed time and time again by the Scottish government. The immense pressure our force is under is putting public safety in jeopardy.

"The very existence of policing in Scotland is in danger unless the SNP fix these issues now."

Sir Iain, 56, had been expected to take over after the beleaguered reign of Sir Stephen House. However, he was passed over in favour of senior Metropolitan Police Officer, Phil Gormley.

He was due to take early retirement in 2017 but was persuaded to take over the running of the force after the surprise resignation of Mr Gormely. 

Mr Livingstone served in Edinburgh and West Lothian as a patrol officer and detective before becoming head of CID and assistant chief constable with Lothian and Borders police.