Designated Deputy for Chief Constable Iain Livingstone plans to retire “in the autumn”

Police Scotland’s second in command Iain Livingstone’s plans to retire “in the autumn” after 25 years’ service.

Mr Livingstone was the ‘rank-and-file’s choice’ to succeed Sir Stephen House in January last year and was favourite to succeed Philip Gormley when he retires next year however the 50-year-old has decided to leave in the next few months with no apparent new position to go to.

Dozens of tributes have appeared on social media from many of Mr Livingstone’s former colleagues illustrating the high regard in which he is held by officers of all ranks.

Before joining Lothian and Borders Police in 1992, he graduated in law from the Universities of Aberdeen and Strathclyde then worked as a solicitor in Glasgow, Edinburgh and London.

He served in Edinburgh and West Lothian as a patrol officer and detective and at HQ as Head of CID and Assistant Chief Constable Crime. He has commanded many serious crime investigations and major events.

He has also studied in New York City as a Fulbright Scholar and undertaken external attachments to the Police Ombudsman for Northern Ireland as a senior investigator and to Her Majesty’s Inspectorate of Constabulary.

He currently sits on the Scottish Sentencing Council and was a member of Lord Bonomy’s review of corroboration.

In a statement issued on Friday he said: ” It is now the right time for me to retire from policing and take up new challenges. I will continue to work closely with the chief constable and other members of the force executive until I step down.

“It has been a privilege to serve the people of Scotland as a police officer for more than 25 year and I want to thank my colleagues in Police Scotland for the commitment and support I have enjoyed throughout my career.”

Mr Gormley also paid tribute to the departing DDCC. he said: “Iain has served the communities of Scotland for over 25 years and has been a central figure in police reform and the creation of the national service.”

“As Chief Constable, I have been extremely grateful for his support, advice and leadership over the past year and a half, and I wish him every success in his future plans.”

Scottish Police Authority chief executive John Foley said Mr Livingstone had made an “an exceptional contribution”, adding: “We will consider over the coming weeks the necessary leadership and succession arrangements, in consultation with the chief constable.”

Scottish Police Federation General Secretary Calum Steele described him as a “remarkable public servant” and “one of the most talented and highly respected police officers of his generation”.

He added: “His retirement represents a tremendous loss for the police service as a whole and for the communities in Scotland in particular.”