Northern Constabulary
Encyclopedia
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. It is the police force covering the largest geographical area in the United Kingdom
, equivalent to the size of Belgium
, but is one of the smallest in terms of officers, with about 715 officers.
The current police force was formed on 16 May 1975 as a merger of the pre-existing Northern Constabulary, the Ross and Sutherland Constabulary
(itself a merger of Ross and Cromarty Constabulary and Sutherland Constabulary) and the Inverness Constabulary
(a merger of Inverness Burgh Police
and Inverness-shire Constabulary
), along with the northernmost portion of the Argyll County Police area, and the Nairn part of the Scottish North East Counties Constabulary. The previous Northern Constabulary had been created in 1969 by the merger of the Caithness Constabulary, Orkney Constabulary and Zetland Constabulary.
The new Northern Constabulary was created at the same time as local government
reorganisation created the Highland regional
council and the islands councils of the Western Isles, the Orkney Isles and the Shetland Isles. The rest of the Argyll County Police was merged into the Strathclyde Police
, and the rest of the Scottish North East Counties Constabulary into the Grampian Police
.
The Northern Constabulary area is also the area covered by the Highlands and Islands Fire and Rescue Service
.
In order to help keep decision-making as local as possible, Northern has been at the forefront nationally in Devolved Resource Management (DRM) for many years. The Chief Constable
allocates one-line budgets to each of his Area Commanders, closely monitoring progress across a range of indicators, over the year, through regular Performance Review and Performance Review Boards.
Territorial police force
The phrase Territorial Police Force varies in precise meaning according to the country to which it is related, generally distinguishing a force whose area of responsibility is defined by sub-national boundaries from others which deal with the entire country or a restricted range of...
responsible for Northern Scotland
Northern Scotland
Northern Scotland is an administrative division of Scotland used for police and fire services. It consists of Highland, the Orkney Islands, the Shetland Islands and the Western Isles. The police service uses Northern in its name, but the fire service uses the name Highlands and Islands Fire and...
, covering the Highland
Highland (council area)
Highland is a council area in the Scottish Highlands and is the largest local government area in both Scotland and the United Kingdom as a whole. It shares borders with the council areas of Moray, Aberdeenshire, Perth and Kinross, and Argyll and Bute. Their councils, and those of Angus and...
council area along with the Western Isles, the Orkney Isles and the Shetland Isles, which comprise most of the Highlands and Islands
Highlands and Islands
The Highlands and Islands of Scotland are broadly the Scottish Highlands plus Orkney, Shetland and the Hebrides.The Highlands and Islands are sometimes defined as the area to which the Crofters' Act of 1886 applied...
area. It is the police force covering the largest geographical area in the United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
, equivalent to the size of Belgium
Belgium
Belgium , officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a federal state in Western Europe. It is a founding member of the European Union and hosts the EU's headquarters, and those of several other major international organisations such as NATO.Belgium is also a member of, or affiliated to, many...
, but is one of the smallest in terms of officers, with about 715 officers.
The current police force was formed on 16 May 1975 as a merger of the pre-existing Northern Constabulary, the Ross and Sutherland Constabulary
Ross and Sutherland Constabulary
The Police Forces of Ross and Cromarty and Sutherland merged on 16 May 1963 to form the Ross & Sutherland Constabulary. Appointed Chief Constable of the new Force was Kenneth Ross, BL, a native of Sutherland but who had served in the Renfrew & Bute Constabulary until his appointment as Chief...
(itself a merger of Ross and Cromarty Constabulary and Sutherland Constabulary) and the 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...
(a merger of 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...
and Inverness-shire Constabulary
Inverness-shire Constabulary
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...
), along with the northernmost portion of the Argyll County Police area, and the Nairn part of the Scottish North East Counties Constabulary. The previous Northern Constabulary had been created in 1969 by the merger of the Caithness Constabulary, Orkney Constabulary and Zetland Constabulary.
The new Northern Constabulary was created at the same time as local government
Local government of Scotland
Local government in Scotland is organised through 32 unitary authorities designated as Councils which consist of councillors elected every four years by registered voters in each of the council areas....
reorganisation created the Highland regional
Regions and districts of Scotland
The local government areas of Scotland were redefined by the Local Government Act 1973 and redefined again by the Local Government etc Act 1994....
council and the islands councils of the Western Isles, the Orkney Isles and the Shetland Isles. The rest of the Argyll County Police was merged into the Strathclyde Police
Strathclyde Police
Strathclyde Police is the territorial police force responsible for the Scottish council areas of Argyll and Bute, City of Glasgow, East Ayrshire, East Dunbartonshire, East Renfrewshire, Inverclyde, North Ayrshire, North Lanarkshire, Renfrewshire, South Ayrshire, South Lanarkshire and West...
, and the rest of the Scottish North East Counties Constabulary into the Grampian Police
Grampian Police
Grampian Police is the territorial police force of the northeast region of Scotland, covering the council areas of Aberdeenshire, the City of Aberdeen, and Moray . The Force area also covers some of the North Sea, giving Grampian Police the responsibility of policing the oil and gas platforms of...
.
The Northern Constabulary area is also the area covered by the Highlands and Islands Fire and Rescue Service
Highlands and Islands Fire and Rescue Service
The Highlands and Islands Fire and Rescue Service is the statutory fire and rescue service for northern Scotland, covering the council areas of Highland, Orkney, Shetland, and the Western Isles, and so covering a major part of the Highlands and Islands area...
.
In order to help keep decision-making as local as possible, Northern has been at the forefront nationally in Devolved Resource Management (DRM) for many years. The 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...
allocates one-line budgets to each of his Area Commanders, closely monitoring progress across a range of indicators, over the year, through regular Performance Review and Performance Review Boards.
Divisions & Area Commands
Northern Constabulary is split in to three Divisions which are North, Central and East. In these three Divisions there are eight Area Commands, each with their own Area Commander. The Area Commands are:- Caithness Sutherland & East Ross
- Orkney
- Shetland
- Ross & Cromarty
- Lochaber, Skye & Lochalsh
- Western Isles
- Inverness
- Badenoch, Strathspey & Nairn