Association of Chief Police Officers in Scotland
Encyclopedia
The Association of Chief Police Officers in Scotland is the collective organisation of Chief Constable
s, Deputy Chief Constable
s and Assistant Chief Constable
s from the eight Police forces
in Scotland
.
Formally a staff association, in 2006 it was incorporated as a private company limited by guarantee
. In 2009 it gained charitable status thus saving thousands of pounds in VAT. ACPOS has evolved to the strategic body which oversees and co-ordinates all aspects of the direction and development of the Scottish Police Service as a whole. Senior support staff and superintending ranks are also involved in its business.
of Chief Constable
s beneath which are eight standing committees focusing on a particular aspect of the service namely:
in the early 1930s at the request of the Chief Constables' (Scotland) Club to be a badge to be identifiable with the Scottish Police Service.
This came about at a time when there were significant numbers of mergers of police
forces around Scotland
and more were in the offing. The design therefore would be capable of being adopted as a standard hat badge by police officers around Scotland, thereby avoiding the expense of producing new hat badges whenever two or more police forces amalgamated. Each force generally had its own distinctive cap badge, usually featuring the coat of arms or insignia of the City
, Burgh
or County
which it covered.
The design comprises a Scottish thistle in a wreath of thistle leaves, all on a scroll tablet with the Latin
motto: Semper Vigilo (Always Alert), and surmounted by a royal Crown.
As originally designed the badge featured the Imperial Crown
(Tudor Crown
) but was not universally adopted until the regionalisation
of the Scottish Police in 1975. The badge was then modernised and the Scottish Crown
applied.
The badge is now worn by all Police officers in Scotland, in metal by Constables and Sergeants, and in an embroidered version by Inspector
ranks and above. UK-wide police forces operating in Scotland, such as British Transport Police
, however continue to wear their own force badge.
In 2000, John Reid
, then the Secretary of State for Scotland
in the British government, gave the following written answer to a question in the House of Commons of the United Kingdom:
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, Deputy Chief Constable
Deputy Chief Constable
Deputy chief constable is the second highest rank in all territorial police forces in the United Kingdom , as well as the British Transport Police, Ministry of Defence Police and Civil Nuclear...
s and Assistant Chief Constable
Assistant Chief Constable
Assistant chief constable is the third highest rank in all British territorial police forces , as well as the British Transport Police, Ministry of Defence Police and...
s from the eight Police forces
Policing in the United Kingdom
Law enforcement in the United Kingdom is organised separately in each of the legal systems of the United Kingdom: England & Wales, Northern Ireland and Scotland ....
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...
.
Formally a staff association, in 2006 it was incorporated as a private company limited by guarantee
Company limited by guarantee
In British and Irish company law, a private company limited by guarantee is an alternative type of corporation used primarily for non-profit organisations that require legal personality. A guarantee company does not usually have a share capital or shareholders, but instead has members who act as...
. In 2009 it gained charitable status thus saving thousands of pounds in VAT. ACPOS has evolved to the strategic body which oversees and co-ordinates all aspects of the direction and development of the Scottish Police Service as a whole. Senior support staff and superintending ranks are also involved in its business.
Responsibilities
Developments are overseen by the CouncilLocal government in the United Kingdom
The pattern of local government in England is complex, with the distribution of functions varying according to the local arrangements. Legislation concerning local government in England is decided by the Parliament and Government of the United Kingdom, because England does not have a devolved...
of 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 beneath which are eight standing committees focusing on a particular aspect of the service namely:
- Crime
- Finance
- General Policing
- Road Policing
- Information Management
- Personnel & Training
- Professional Standards
- Race & Community Relations
Scottish Constabulary crest
The Scottish Constabulary crest was designed by Mr Cairns, Art Master at Dumfries AcademyDumfries Academy
Dumfries Academy is one of four secondary schools in the town of Dumfries in South West Scotland.-History:Dumfries Academy has existed in its present form, though not in the buildings it currently occupies, since 1804...
in the early 1930s at the request of the Chief Constables' (Scotland) Club to be a badge to be identifiable with the Scottish Police Service.
This came about at a time when there were significant numbers of mergers of police
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...
forces around 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...
and more were in the offing. The design therefore would be capable of being adopted as a standard hat badge by police officers around Scotland, thereby avoiding the expense of producing new hat badges whenever two or more police forces amalgamated. Each force generally had its own distinctive cap badge, usually featuring the coat of arms or insignia of the City
City
A city is a relatively large and permanent settlement. Although there is no agreement on how a city is distinguished from a town within general English language meanings, many cities have a particular administrative, legal, or historical status based on local law.For example, in the U.S...
, Burgh
Burgh
A burgh was an autonomous corporate entity in Scotland and Northern England, usually a town. This type of administrative division existed from the 12th century, when King David I created the first royal burghs. Burgh status was broadly analogous to borough status, found in the rest of the United...
or County
County
A county is a jurisdiction of local government in certain modern nations. Historically in mainland Europe, the original French term, comté, and its equivalents in other languages denoted a jurisdiction under the sovereignty of a count A county is a jurisdiction of local government in certain...
which it covered.
The design comprises a Scottish thistle in a wreath of thistle leaves, all on a scroll tablet with the Latin
Latin
Latin is an Italic language originally spoken in Latium and Ancient Rome. It, along with most European languages, is a descendant of the ancient Proto-Indo-European language. Although it is considered a dead language, a number of scholars and members of the Christian clergy speak it fluently, and...
motto: Semper Vigilo (Always Alert), and surmounted by a royal Crown.
As originally designed the badge featured the Imperial Crown
Imperial crown
An Imperial Crown is a crown used for the coronation of emperors.- Imperial Crowns with Mitre :-Legal usage:Throughout the Commonwealth Realms, The Crown is an abstract concept which represents the legal authority for the existence of any government...
(Tudor Crown
Tudor Crown
The Tudor Crown, also known as the King's Crown or Imperial Crown, was a symbol used from 1902 to 1953 representing not only the British monarch personally, but also "The Crown", meaning the sovereign source of governmental authority...
) but was not universally adopted until the regionalisation
Regionalisation
Regionalization is the tendency to form regions, or the process of doing so.Regionalization can be observed in various disciplines:*In geography, it has two ways: the process of delineating the Earth, its small areas or other units into regions and a state of such a delineation.*In globalization...
of the Scottish Police in 1975. The badge was then modernised and the Scottish Crown
Crown of Scotland
The Crown of Scotland is the crown used at the coronation of the monarchs of Scotland. Remade in its current form for King James V of Scotland in 1540, the crown is part of the Honours of Scotland, the oldest set of Crown Jewels in the United Kingdom...
applied.
The badge is now worn by all Police officers in Scotland, in metal by Constables and Sergeants, and in an embroidered version by Inspector
Inspector
Inspector is both a police rank and an administrative position, both used in a number of contexts. However, it is not an equivalent rank in each police force.- Australia :...
ranks and above. UK-wide police forces operating in Scotland, such as British Transport Police
British Transport Police
The British Transport Police is a special police force that polices those railways and light-rail systems in Great Britain for which it has entered into an agreement to provide such services...
, however continue to wear their own force badge.
In 2000, John Reid
John Reid (politician)
John Reid, Baron Reid of Cardowan, PC is a British politician, who served as a Labour Party Member of Parliament and cabinet minister under Tony Blair, most notably as Defence Secretary and then Home Secretary...
, then the Secretary of State for Scotland
Secretary of State for Scotland
The Secretary of State for Scotland is the principal minister of Her Majesty's Government in the United Kingdom with responsibilities for Scotland. He heads the Scotland Office , a government department based in London and Edinburgh. The post was created soon after the Union of the Crowns, but was...
in the British government, gave the following written answer to a question in the House of Commons of the United Kingdom:
- "The crest of the Scottish police service incorporates the Crown. The eight Scottish police forces have a common cap badge incorporating a representation of the Scottish police service crest. Two of the eight forces (Lothian and Borders Police and Fife Constabulary) have individual crests in the form of a coat of arms granted by the Lord Lyon. Both of these also incorporate the Crown."
See also
- Scottish Police Services AuthorityScottish Police Services AuthorityThe Scottish Police Services Authority is a Scottish public body of the Scottish Government responsible for certain central services for police forces in Scotland. It was established on the 1 April 2007, following the passing of the Police, Public Order and Criminal Justice Act 2006...
- The Association of Chief Police Officers of England, Wales and Northern IrelandAssociation of Chief Police OfficersThe Association of Chief Police Officers , established in 1948, is a private limited company that leads the development of policing practice in England, Wales and Northern Ireland.ACPO provides a forum for chief police officers to share ideas and coordinates the strategic...