Police Scotland appoints first female chief constable

The first female chief constable of Police Scotland has been appointed, with Jo Farrell taking on the role.

She will succeed Sir Iain Livingstone when he steps down in August after six years in the job.

Currently in charge of Durham Constabulary, Ms Farrell’s appointment follows a six-week assessment process.

She said: “This really is a day of mixed emotions.

“I am immensely proud to have served as chief constable of Durham and equally proud of everything the force has achieved over that time.

“But as chief constable of Police Scotland I have been offered a unique opportunity to take on one of the most exciting and challenging jobs in UK policing.”

During her leadership, Durham Constabulary was involved in high-profile investigations into political figures.

In May 2020, the force faced demands to interview then prime minister Boris Johnson’s aide Dominic Cummings over lockdown breaches.

It also cleared Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer of breaking lockdown rules in the “beergate” investigation.

Ms Farrell began her career as a constable in Cambridge aged 22, becoming the first person in her family to join the police and fulfilling her childhood ambition.

When she became its chief constable in 2019, she was the first woman to enter that role.

During her time in charge, the force introduced a new approach to dealing with rape suspects, aimed at putting offenders under deeper scrutiny and identifying repeat offenders.

Sir Iain welcomed her appointment, saying: “I congratulate Jo Farrell and look forward to working with her to ensure an effective handover that will maintain stability in Police Scotland.

“Leading our outstanding officers and staff as Scotland’s chief constable is an enormous privilege. I have great confidence Jo will continue to develop our service to protect and serve our fellow citizens.”

Scottish Justice Secretary Angela Constance approved the Scottish Police Authority’s appointment.

She said: “I am delighted that Jo Farrell has been appointed as Police Scotland’s new chief constable following the Scottish Police Authority’s rigorous selection process.

“Jo is the first woman to be appointed to this role.

“As the force marks its 10th anniversary year, she has shown she has the skills needed to lead the service into the next decade and meet the challenges ahead.

“Thanks to the dedication and work of the police, recorded crime rates overall are at record low levels and we have a service that is unique in the UK with an embedded human rights focus.”

Police Scotland was created in 2013 after Scotland’s regional police forces were merged into a single new national service.

Last month, Sir Iain admitted the force is “institutionally racist and discriminatory”, with his statement later described as “historic” and “monumental” by First Minister Humza Yousaf.

As part of the selection process, the new chief constable took part in a professional peer review, psychometric testing and meetings with staff associations and community groups.

The final appointment panel was chaired by Martyn Evans of the SPA.

Durham’s Police and Crime Commissioner Joy Allen said: “Jo is definitely a shining example for other female police officers.

“She has repeatedly demonstrated that in policing, with professionalism and competence, the sky is the limit whether you are male or female.”