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Iain Livingstone

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Sir
Iain Livingstone
QPM
Chief Constable of Police Scotland
In office
27 August 2018 – 10 August 2023
Preceded byPhil Gormley
Succeeded byJo Farrell
Deputy Chief Constable Designate of Police Scotland
In office
May 2016 – 27 August 2018
Preceded byNeil Richardson
Personal details
Born
Iain Thomas Livingstone

6 October 1966 (1966-10-06) (age 58)
Dunfermline, Fife, Scotland
Alma materUniversity of Aberdeen
University of Strathclyde[1]
John Jay College of Criminal Justice[2]
ProfessionSolicitor; Police officer
Association football career
Position(s) Right winger
Youth career
Raith Colts
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
1983–1985 Raith Rovers 2 (0)
1985–1986 Montrose 1 (0)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals

Sir Iain Thomas Livingstone, QPM (born 6 October 1966[3]) is a Scottish retired police officer who served as Chief Constable of Police Scotland. He is currently leading Kenova, a series of historical investigations and reviews in relation to murders and other criminal activity which took place during The Troubles in Northern Ireland.

He took over as Officer in Overall Command of Kenova in 2023 after his predecessor, Jon Boutcher QPM, took on the Chief Constable role of the PSNI.

Prior to becoming Chief Constable of Police Scotland, Sir Iain had served as Deputy Chief Constable Designate. He was named as the next Chief Constable on 15 August 2018 and took up office formally on 27 August 2018. He retired from Police Scotland in August 2023.[4][1]

Early life

[edit]

Livingstone graduated from the University of Aberdeen in 1988 with a first class Bachelor of Laws degree.[5] During his time as a student at Aberdeen he played association football as a forward for Raith Rovers[6] and Montrose.[7][8] He also attended the University of Strathclyde before beginning a career as a solicitor.[2][9]

Police career

[edit]
Chief Constable Livingstone addressing the Scottish Parliament in 2020

Livingstone joined Lothian and Borders Police in 1992, rising swiftly through the ranks and eventually becoming head of that force's CID branch[4] and Assistant Chief Constable for Crime.[9] He graduated with a master's degree from the John Jay College of Criminal Justice at the City University of New York, where he studied from 1998 as a Fulbright scholar;[2][9] he also served secondments as a special investigator with the Police Ombudsman for Northern Ireland, and was part of Lord Bonomy's review of corroboration. He has sat on the Scottish Sentencing Council.[4] He advises on the Operation Kenova investigation into matters during The Troubles in Northern Ireland.[10]

Livingstone served in detective and uniform roles in Edinburgh and West Lothian, leading a number of major investigations and operations. As Detective Superintendent, he played a key role in the security operation around the 31st G8 summit in 2005 and headed the murder investigation into the double shooting at the Marmion Bar in Edinburgh.

After completing the Strategic Command Course, he was appointed Assistant Chief Constable for Lothian and Borders Police in April 2009, with responsibility for Crime and Operations. As ACC, he was Gold commander for many significant events including the visit to Edinburgh of Pope Benedict XVI in 2010.[10]

When Lothian & Borders was amalgamated into the new Police Scotland force in 2013, Livingstone was named Deputy Chief Constable for Crime and operations.[9] After being overlooked for the Chief Constable job when Phil Gormley was appointed as the successor to Stephen House in late 2015, he initially remained part of the force executive but in summer 2017 announced his intention to retire in the coming months.[11] He then accepted a request to reconsider his decision after several allegations of misconduct were made against Chief Constable Gormley and the latter was placed on special leave;[12] by September 2017 Livingstone was leading the force on an interim basis. When Gormley resigned in February 2018 to contest the allegations, Livingstone became the frontrunner to succeed him formally.[9][13] The role as Chief Constable from 27 August 2018 carries a four-year term and an annual salary of £216,000.[7]

As Chief Constable, he led the national service during through the COVID-19 pandemic, the security operation for the 2021 United Nations Climate Change Conference and Operation Unicorn following the death of Queen Elizabeth.

He retired from Police Scotland on 10 August 2023.

In November 2023 Sir Iain took on the role of Officer in Overall Command of Kenova, a series of historical investigations and reviews in relation to the Troubles in Northern Ireland after his predecessor, Jon Boutcher was made Chief Constable of the PSNI.

In August 2024, following the publication of the Operation Kenova interim report, Sir Iain wrote to Secretary of State for Northern Ireland Hilary Benn to raise concerns after previously undisclosed material was made available by MI5.


Controversies

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He was suspended and demoted in 2003 after an allegation of sexual misconduct after an event at Tulliallan Policing College three years earlier,[14] but was cleared following an internal misconduct hearing[15][9] and later reinstated to his previous role as Superintendent (the youngest officer of that rank in Scotland at the time) following an appeal.[4]

Livingstone admitting he had acted inappropriately by falling asleep in the woman's room, although he was cleared of any sexual misconduct. He told the BBC earlier that he had too much to drink at a social event at the college, and had fallen asleep "in the wrong place", adding: "That was wrong, I shouldn't have done that".[16]

Former Tayside Police assistant chief constable Angela Wilson, commenting on Livingstone being cleared of sexual assault allegations, said that "[Livingstone was] not fit to lead". Constable Calum Steele, Scotland's police union boss, was found guilty of posting "inappropriate and offensive" online comments about Wilson following her comments on Livingstone.[17]

Honours

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Livingstone was awarded the Queen's Police Medal in 2015 for distinguished service.[18] He was knighted in the 2022 Birthday Honours for services to policing and the public.[19]


Ribbon Description Notes
Knight Bachelor
  • 2022 Queen's Birthday Honours List
Queen's Police Medal (QPM)
Queen Elizabeth II Golden Jubilee Medal
  • 2002
  • UK Version of this Medal
Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee Medal
  • 2012
  • UK Version of this Medal
Queen Elizabeth II Platinum Jubilee Medal
  • 2022
  • UK Version of this Medal
King Charles III Coronation Medal
  • 2023
  • UK Version of this Medal
Police Long Service and Good Conduct Medal

References

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  1. ^ a b "New Chief Constable of Police Scotland appointed". Police Service of Scotland. 15 August 2018. Archived from the original on 21 January 2019. Retrieved 18 August 2018.
  2. ^ a b c "Police Scotland's four new Deputy Chief Constables". Edinburgh Reporter. 4 December 2012. Retrieved 27 August 2018.
  3. ^ Birth certificate of Iain Thomas Livingstone, 6 October 1966, Dunfermline District 424/1228 – National Records of Scotland
  4. ^ a b c d "Scotland's new police chief announced". Bbc.co.uk. 15 August 2018. Retrieved 15 August 2018.
  5. ^ Hamish Macdonnell (16 August 2018). "New police chief 'will bring stability'". The Times. Retrieved 16 August 2018.
  6. ^ "Season 1985/1986 Raith Rovers Iain Livingstone". Alamy. Retrieved 18 August 2018.
  7. ^ a b Chris Marshall (15 August 2018). "Iain Livingstone appointed head of Scotland's national police force". The Scotsman. Retrieved 16 August 2018.
  8. ^ "Iain Livingstone". Post War English & Scottish Football League A-Z Players Transfer Database. Retrieved 18 August 2018.
  9. ^ a b c d e f "From early retirement to chief constable in just 12 months". Bbc.co.uk. 15 August 2018. Retrieved 16 August 2018.
  10. ^ a b "Chief Constable Iain Livingstone QPM - Police Scotland". www.scotland.police.uk. Archived from the original on 22 February 2023. Retrieved 22 February 2023.
  11. ^ "'A shambles and a nightmare' Police Scotland chief quits as top-brass clear out looms". Daily Record. 20 July 2017. Retrieved 18 August 2018.
  12. ^ "Police Scotland deputy chief constable delays retirement". BBC News. 11 September 2017. Retrieved 18 August 2018.
  13. ^ "Police Scotland: The search for a new chief constable". BBC News. 8 February 2018. Retrieved 18 August 2018.
  14. ^ "Police chief: My sex case nightmare; Woman PC accuses him of assault : He is suspended pending a probe". Sunday Mail. 9 February 2003. Retrieved 18 August 2018 – via TheFreeLibrary.com.
  15. ^ "High-flier is reduced to the ranks; Policeman will fight action taken after drunken party". The Herald. 26 June 2004. Retrieved 18 August 2018.
  16. ^ "New chief urged to tackle police 'misogyny'". BBC News. 16 August 2018. Retrieved 31 July 2022.
  17. ^ "'Inappropriate and offensive' Police union boss guilty of abusing female former chief in Twitter tirade". BBC News. 3 June 2018. Retrieved 31 July 2022.
  18. ^ "No. 61256". The London Gazette (Supplement). 13 June 2015. p. B35.
  19. ^ "No. 63714". The London Gazette (Supplement). 1 June 2022. p. B2.
Police appointments
Preceded by Chief Constable of Police Scotland
2018–2023 		Succeeded by
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