John Inch
Encyclopedia
Sir John Ritchie Inch CVO
CBE
QPM
(14 May 1911 – 22 November 1993) was a police officer who was successively Chief Constable
of three Scottish police forces.
Inch was born in Lesmahagow
, Lanarkshire, Scotland. At the age of eleven he was selected to attend the Hamilton Academy
. He then entered the University of Glasgow
, graduating MA in law.
Joining Lanarkshire Constabulary in 1931 and posted to Bellshill
police station, Inch was promoted sergeant
in 1936. Undertaking further studies, Inch obtained an LLB and in 1938, at the age of 27, was promoted to inspector
in charge of recruit training. He qualified as an Air Raid Precautions
(ARP) instructor and became the organiser of civil defence in Lanarkshire on the outbreak of World War II
.
In 1943, at the age of 32, Inch was appointed Chief Constable of Dunfermline Burgh Police. When, in 1949, this merged with Kirkcaldy and Fife County Constabularies into the combined Fife Constabulary
, he was appointed Chief Constable of the new force.
Inch's success in combining the three forces into the combined force led him to be appointed in 1955, at the age of 44, as Chief Constable of Edinburgh City Police.
As Chief Constable of Edinburgh, Inch was a member of the organising committee for the Commonwealth Games
held in the city in 1970. A keen sportsman, Inch also served as chairman of the Police Athletic Association from 1971 to 1975.
In 1975, Edinburgh City Police amalgamated with Berwick, Roxburgh, Selkirk and Lothian and Peebles Constabularies to form Lothian and Borders Police
, and Inch served as Chief Constable of the new force until his retirement in 1976.
Inch was appointed Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE) in 1958 and Commander of the Royal Victorian Order (CVO) in 1969, and was knighted
in 1972.
He died in Edinburgh on 22 November 1993.
Royal Victorian Order
The Royal Victorian Order is a dynastic order of knighthood and a house order of chivalry recognising distinguished personal service to the order's Sovereign, the reigning monarch of the Commonwealth realms, any members of her family, or any of her viceroys...
CBE
Order of the British Empire
The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is an order of chivalry established on 4 June 1917 by George V of the United Kingdom. The Order comprises five classes in civil and military divisions...
QPM
Queen's Police Medal
The Queen's Police Medal is awarded to police officers in the United Kingdom and Commonwealth for gallantry or distinguished service. Recipients may use the post-nominal letters "QPM", although the right to use these was only granted officially on 20 July 1969...
(14 May 1911 – 22 November 1993) was a police officer who was successively 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...
of three Scottish police forces.
Inch was born in Lesmahagow
Lesmahagow
Lesmahagow is a small town on the edge of moorland, near Lanark in the central belt of Scotland. It is also known as Abbey Green.-Etymology:The name is possibly a corruption of "Church of St Machutus"...
, Lanarkshire, Scotland. At the age of eleven he was selected to attend the Hamilton Academy
Hamilton Academy
Hamilton Academy was a school situated in Hamilton, South Lanarkshire, Scotland.Described as "one of the finest schools in Scotland" in the Cambridge University Press County Biography of 1910, Hamilton Academy featured in the Scottish Secondary Teachers' Association Magazine article series on...
. He then entered the University of Glasgow
University of Glasgow
The University of Glasgow is the fourth-oldest university in the English-speaking world and one of Scotland's four ancient universities. Located in Glasgow, the university was founded in 1451 and is presently one of seventeen British higher education institutions ranked amongst the top 100 of the...
, graduating MA in law.
Joining Lanarkshire Constabulary in 1931 and posted to Bellshill
Bellshill
Bellshill is a town in North Lanarkshire, Scotland, 10 miles south east of Glasgow city centre and 37 miles west of Edinburgh. Other nearby towns are Motherwell , Hamilton and Coatbridge . Since 1996, it has been situated in the Greater Glasgow metropolitan area...
police station, Inch was promoted sergeant
Sergeant
Sergeant is a rank used in some form by most militaries, police forces, and other uniformed organizations around the world. Its origins are the Latin serviens, "one who serves", through the French term Sergent....
in 1936. Undertaking further studies, Inch obtained an LLB and in 1938, at the age of 27, was promoted to 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 :...
in charge of recruit training. He qualified as an Air Raid Precautions
Air Raid Precautions
Air Raid Precautions was an organisation in the United Kingdom set up as an aid in the prelude to the Second World War dedicated to the protection of civilians from the danger of air-raids. It was created in 1924 as a response to the fears about the growing threat from the development of bomber...
(ARP) instructor and became the organiser of civil defence in Lanarkshire on the outbreak of World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
.
In 1943, at the age of 32, Inch was appointed Chief Constable of Dunfermline Burgh Police. When, in 1949, this merged with Kirkcaldy and Fife County Constabularies into the combined Fife Constabulary
Fife Constabulary
Fife Constabulary is the territorial police force responsible for the Scottish council area of Fife.The area policed by Fife Constabulary has a resident population of just over 350,000, almost a third of whom live in one of the three principal towns of Dunfermline, Kirkcaldy and Glenrothes...
, he was appointed Chief Constable of the new force.
Inch's success in combining the three forces into the combined force led him to be appointed in 1955, at the age of 44, as Chief Constable of Edinburgh City Police.
As Chief Constable of Edinburgh, Inch was a member of the organising committee for the Commonwealth Games
Commonwealth Games
The Commonwealth Games is an international, multi-sport event involving athletes from the Commonwealth of Nations. The event was first held in 1930 and takes place every four years....
held in the city in 1970. A keen sportsman, Inch also served as chairman of the Police Athletic Association from 1971 to 1975.
In 1975, Edinburgh City Police amalgamated with Berwick, Roxburgh, Selkirk and Lothian and Peebles Constabularies to form Lothian and Borders Police
Lothian and Borders Police
Lothian and Borders Police is the territorial police force for the Scottish council areas of the City of Edinburgh, East Lothian, Midlothian, Scottish Borders and West Lothian...
, and Inch served as Chief Constable of the new force until his retirement in 1976.
Inch was appointed Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE) in 1958 and Commander of the Royal Victorian Order (CVO) in 1969, and was knighted
Knight Bachelor
The rank of Knight Bachelor is a part of the British honours system. It is the most basic rank of a man who has been knighted by the monarch but not as a member of one of the organised Orders of Chivalry...
in 1972.
He died in Edinburgh on 22 November 1993.