Highland Police Commander For Highland - Julian Innes

23rd January 2013

NORTHERN’S CHIEF SUPT JULIAN INNES WILL BE POLICE SCOTLAND’S LOCAL POLICING COMMANDER FOR HIGHLANDS AND ISLANDS

Northern Constabulary Chief Superintendent Julian Innes has been chosen by Chief Constable Steven House as one of Police Scotland’s new 14 Local Policing Commanders.

Chief Supt Innes was named yesterday as Local Police Commander for the Highlands and Islands.

The 14 Commanders will oversee local policing operations across Scotland.
The Police and Fire Reform (Scotland) Act states that the Chief Constable must ensure there are adequate arrangements in place for policing local authority areas. The appointment of local police commanders follows consultation with every Scottish local authority.

The 14 Chief Superintendents announced yesterday fulfill this requirement of the Act and places a focus on the delivery of local policing within a national police service.

The Local Police Commanders are:
Highlands and Islands – Ch Supt Julian Innes
Aberdeen City – Ch Supt Adrian Watson
Aderdeenshire and Moray – Ch Supt Mark McLaren
Tayside – Ch Supt Hamish McPherson
Forth Valley – Ch Supt David Flynn
Edinburgh – Ch Supt Mark Williams
The Lothians and Scottish Borders – Ch Supt Jeanette Mcdiarmid
Fife – Ch Supt Garry McEwan
Greater Glasgow – Ch Supt Andy Bates
Ayrshire – Ch Supt John Thompson
Lanarkshire – Ch Supt Nelson Telfer
Argyll and West Dumbartonshire – Ch Supt Russell Dunn
Renfewshire and Inverclyde – Ch Supt Alan Spiers
Dumfries and Galloway – Ch Supt Kate Thomson

Commenting upon his appointment today, Chief Supt Julian Innes said:"Here in the Highlands and Islands we enjoy some of the highest detection rates in the UK and it is my job to ensure that we maintain these high as we move into a new era of Policing in Scotland.

"The Highlands and Islands are among the safest places to live, work and invest in the UK and it will be my job, along with that of my colleagues, to ensure we work hard to keep people safe.”

Deputy Chief Constable Rose Fitzpatrick is tasked with overseeing the delivery of local policing across Scotland. Her local policing team also includes three Assistant Chief Constables who will work closely with the team announced today covering the North, East and West commands.

She said:"The Local Commanders will work closely with communities to reflect their concerns in highly-localised policing plans – one for every council ward area in Scotland.

"They will be the recognisable and visible faces leading on local policing from Shetland to the Solway Firth, across each council area in Scotland.

"They will be responsible for ensuring the best possible service to our communities by working with the public to identify local priorities, tackle the issues of greatest concern and maintain the performance which has seen record low crime levels achieved.

"Local policing, which is fully connected to our communities, is the engine room of the single police service. We will work hard to ensure that local connects to national and that specialist functions are available equally throughout the country, according to demand and need.

"I am delighted to be leading local policing in the new service at this exciting time and look forward to the challenge of making real improvements to your policing in communities across the country.”