Inverness-shire Constabulary
Encyclopedia
The Inverness-shire Constabulary, also called the Inverness County Police, was the police
force of the county
of Inverness-shire
in Scotland
.
The force was established in 1840. On 16 November 1968 the Constabulary merged with Inverness Burgh Police
to form Inverness Constabulary
, which in turn became part of the present Northern Constabulary
in 1975.
, which would remain the same for 128 years:
The force was originally commanded by a Superintendent
, who also headed the Inverness Division. The other divisions were commanded by Chief Constable
s. These officers were renamed the Chief Constable and Superintendents respectively in 1857.
There were originally nine constable
s in the Inverness division, three in Lochaber, one in Skye, and two in Long Island, for a force of only nineteen men.
Between 1841 and 1847 the force also policed the Royal Burgh
of Inverness, absorbing for that period the Town Officers and Watchmen of the Burgh, until the Inverness Burgh Police was set up as a separate force.
Throughout the existence of the Force, its headquarters were in Inverness Castle
, an exclave
of Inverness-shire within the boundaries of the Royal Burgh of Inverness.
Police
The police is a personification of the state designated to put in practice the enforced law, protect property and reduce civil disorder in civilian matters. Their powers include the legitimized use of force...
force of the county
Counties of Scotland
The counties of Scotland were the principal local government divisions of Scotland until 1975. Scotland's current lieutenancy areas and registration counties are largely based on them. They are often referred to as historic counties....
of Inverness-shire
Inverness-shire
The County of Inverness or Inverness-shire was a general purpose county of Scotland, with the burgh of Inverness as the county town, until 1975, when, under the Local Government Act 1973, the county area was divided between the two-tier Highland region and the unitary Western Isles. The Highland...
in Scotland
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
.
The force was established in 1840. On 16 November 1968 the Constabulary merged with Inverness Burgh Police
Inverness Burgh Police
The Inverness Burgh Police was the police force responsible for the Royal Burgh of Inverness, Scotland from 1847 to 1968.-History:Although law enforcement of a kind had been present in the Royal Burgh of Inverness since time immemorial, by 1827 the Inverness Courier complained of the lack of an...
to form Inverness Constabulary
Inverness Constabulary
Inverness Constabulary was a police force in Scotland that covered the entirety of the county of Inverness-shire.It was created on 16 November 1968, as a merger of the Inverness Burgh Police and the Inverness-shire Constabulary...
, which in turn became part of the present Northern Constabulary
Northern Constabulary
The Northern Constabulary is the territorial police force responsible for Northern Scotland, covering the Highland council area along with the Western Isles, the Orkney Isles and the Shetland Isles, which comprise most of the Highlands and Islands area...
in 1975.
Organisation
The county was divided into four divisionsPolice division
A division was the usual term for the largest territorial subdivision of most British police forces. In major reforms of police organisation in the 1990s divisions of many forces were restructured and retitled Basic Command Units , although some forces continue to refer to them as divisions.The...
, which would remain the same for 128 years:
- InvernessInvernessInverness is a city in the Scottish Highlands. It is the administrative centre for the Highland council area, and is regarded as the capital of the Highlands of Scotland...
- LochaberLochaberDistrict of Lochaber 1975 to 1996Highland council area shown as one of the council areas of ScotlandLochaber is one of the 16 ward management areas of the Highland Council of Scotland and one of eight former local government districts of the two-tier Highland region...
(headquarters in Fort William) - SkyeSkyeSkye or the Isle of Skye is the largest and most northerly island in the Inner Hebrides of Scotland. The island's peninsulas radiate out from a mountainous centre dominated by the Cuillin hills...
- Long Island, covering all the islands in the Outer HebridesOuter HebridesThe Outer Hebrides also known as the Western Isles and the Long Island, is an island chain off the west coast of Scotland. The islands are geographically contiguous with Comhairle nan Eilean Siar, one of the 32 unitary council areas of Scotland...
(North UistNorth UistNorth Uist is an island and community in the Outer Hebrides of Scotland.-Geography:North Uist is the tenth largest Scottish island and the thirteenth largest island surrounding Great Britain. It has an area of , slightly smaller than South Uist. North Uist is connected by causeways to Benbecula...
, South UistSouth UistSouth Uist is an island of the Outer Hebrides in Scotland. In the 2001 census it had a usually resident population of 1,818. There is a nature reserve and a number of sites of archaeological interest, including the only location in Great Britain where prehistoric mummies have been found. The...
, BenbeculaBenbeculaBenbecula is an island of the Outer Hebrides in the Atlantic Ocean off the west coast of Scotland. In the 2001 census it had a usually resident population of 1,249, with a sizable percentage of Roman Catholics. It forms part of the area administered by Comhairle nan Eilean Siar or the Western...
, BarraBarraThe island of Barra is a predominantly Gaelic-speaking island, and apart from the adjacent island of Vatersay, to which it is connected by a causeway, is the southernmost inhabited island of the Outer Hebrides in Scotland.-Geography:The 2001 census showed that the resident population was 1,078...
, and Harris) except LewisLewisLewis is the northern part of Lewis and Harris, the largest island of the Western Isles or Outer Hebrides of Scotland. The total area of Lewis is ....
, which was within Ross-shireRoss-shireRoss-shire is an area in the Highland Council Area in Scotland. The name is now used as a geographic or cultural term, equivalent to Ross. Until 1889 the term denoted a county of Scotland, also known as the County of Ross...
The force was originally commanded by a Superintendent
Superintendent (police)
Superintendent , often shortened to "super", is a rank in British police services and in most English-speaking Commonwealth nations. In many Commonwealth countries the full version is superintendent of police...
, who also headed the Inverness Division. The other divisions were commanded by Chief Constable
Chief Constable
Chief constable is the rank used by the chief police officer of every territorial police force in the United Kingdom except for the City of London Police and the Metropolitan Police, as well as the chief officers of the three 'special' national police forces, the British Transport Police, Ministry...
s. These officers were renamed the Chief Constable and Superintendents respectively in 1857.
There were originally nine constable
Constable
A constable is a person holding a particular office, most commonly in law enforcement. The office of constable can vary significantly in different jurisdictions.-Etymology:...
s in the Inverness division, three in Lochaber, one in Skye, and two in Long Island, for a force of only nineteen men.
Between 1841 and 1847 the force also policed the Royal Burgh
Royal burgh
A royal burgh was a type of Scottish burgh which had been founded by, or subsequently granted, a royal charter. Although abolished in 1975, the term is still used in many of the former burghs....
of Inverness, absorbing for that period the Town Officers and Watchmen of the Burgh, until the Inverness Burgh Police was set up as a separate force.
Throughout the existence of the Force, its headquarters were in Inverness Castle
Inverness Castle
Inverness Castle sits on a cliff overlooking the River Ness, in Inverness, Scotland. The red sand stone structure evident today was built in 1836 by architect William Burn. It is built on the site of an 11th century defensive structure. Today, it houses Inverness Sheriff Court. There has been a...
, an exclave
Enclave and exclave
In political geography, an enclave is a territory whose geographical boundaries lie entirely within the boundaries of another territory.An exclave, on the other hand, is a territory legally or politically attached to another territory with which it is not physically contiguous.These are two...
of Inverness-shire within the boundaries of the Royal Burgh of Inverness.
Chief Officers
- Eyre John Powell, 16 October 1840–24 August 1841
- John MacBean, 24 October 1841–31 May 1857
- William Murray, 1 June 1857–24 October 1882
- Donald Aitchison (acting), 25 October 1882–1 December 1882
- Alexander McHardy, 2 December 1882–30 April 1911
- Hugh MacLennan (acting), 1 May 1911–1 June 1911
- Major Alexander C. MacLean, 2 June 1911–2 June 1936
- Ewen MacDonald (acting), 3 June 1936–30 November 1936
- William Fraser, 1 December 1936–17 August 1951
- John R. Johnstone, 18 August 1951–28 May 1962
- James A. MacIntyre (acting), 29 May 1962–22 June 1963
- Andrew L. McClure, 23 June 1963–15 November 1968