Police – List of police forces in Scotland
Police Forces in Scotland, 1800-2013
This list is of police forces in the modern sense (full time constables and officers, supervised by an elected police authority, and funded by local taxation). It has been compiled from information published in Martin Stallion and David S. Wall, The British Police: Forces and Chief Officers 1829-2012 (Police History Society, 2011); R. M. Urquhart, The Burghs of Scotland 5 vols (Scottish Library Association, 1989-92); David G. Barrie, Police in the Age of Improvement: police development and the civic tradition in Scotland 1775-1865 (Willan, 2008) and from information supplied by archivists in Scotland who hold police records. However, the dates given should be used with caution, as the dates given by Stallion and Wall are based on printed sources rather than on the records produced by police forces and local authorities.
Police Scotland is responsible for the surviving historical records of its predecessor police forces and has agreements with a number of local authority archives to hold many of these records which are no longer required for operational purposes (see police records locations for details).
Compilers: SCAN contributors (2000).
REGIONAL POLICE FORCES, 1975-2013
Central Scotland Police Formed 1975 (from Stirling & Clackmannan, part of Perth & Kinross and part of Lothians & Peebles). Abolished 2013. Successor force: Police Scotland
Dumfries and Galloway Constabulary Formed 1948. Abolished 2013. Successor force: Police Scotland
Fife Constabulary Formed 1840 as Fife County Constabulary. Abolished 2013. Successor force: Police Scotland
Grampian Police Formed 1975 (merger of Aberdeen and Scottish North Eastern Counties). Abolished 2013. Successor force: Police Scotland
Lothian and Borders Police Formed 1975 (merger of Berwick Roxburgh & Selkirk, Edinburgh City and Lothians & Peebles). Abolished 2013. Successor force: Police Scotland
Northern Constabulary Formed 1969 (merger of Caithness-shire, Orkney and Shetland). Abolished 2013. Successor force: Police Scotland
Strathclyde Police Formed 1975 (merger of Argyllshire, Ayrshire, Dunbartonshire, Glasgow City, Lanarkshire, Renfrew & Bute and part of Stirling & Clackmannan). Abolished 2013. Successor force: Police Scotland
Tayside Police Formed 1975 (merger of Angus, Dundee City and Perth & Kinross). Abolished 2013. Successor force: Police Scotland
CITY CONSTABULARIES before 1975
Aberdeen Formed 1818. Abolished 1975. Successor force: Grampian
Dundee Formed 1824. Abolished 1975. Successor force: Tayside.
Edinburgh City Formed 1805. Abolished 1975. Successor force: Lothian and Borders
Glasgow City Formed 1800. Abolished 1975. Successor force: Strathclyde.
AMALGAMATED POLICE FORCES before 1975
Berwick, Roxburgh & Selkirk Formed 1948 (merger of Berwickshire, Roxburghshire and Selkirkshire). Abolished 1975. Successor force: Lothian and Borders
Dumfries & Galloway Formed 1948 (merger of Dumfriesshire, Kirkcudbrightshire and Wigtownshire). Abolished 2013. Successor force: Police Scotland
Lothian & Peebles Formed 1950 (merger of East Lothian, Midlothian, Peeblesshire and West Lothian). Abolished 1975. Successor force: Lothian and Borders.
Moray & Nairn Formed 1930 (merger of Morayshire and Nairnshire). Abolished 1949. Successor force: Scottish North-Eastern Counties.
Northern Formed 1969 (merger of Caithness-shire, Orkney and Shetland). Abolished 2013. Successor force: Police Scotland.
Perth & Kinross Formed 1964 (merger of Perth City and Perthshire & Kinross-shire. Abolished 1975. Successor force: Tayside.
Perthshire & Kinross-shire Formed 1930 (merger of Perthshire and Kinross-shire). Abolished 1964 (on amalgamation with Perth City Police). Successor force: Perth & Kinross.
Renfrew & Bute Formed 1949 merger of Renfrewshire and Bute). Abolished 1975. Successor force: Strathclyde.
Ross & Sutherland Formed 1963 (merger of Ross & Cromarty and Sutherland). Abolished 1975. Successor force: Northern.
Scottish North-Eastern Counties Formed 1949 (merger of Aberdeenshire, Banffshire, Kincardineshire and Moray & Nairn). Abolished 1975. Successor force: Grampian.
Stirling & Clackmannan Formed 1949 (merger of Clackmannanshire and Stirlingshire). Abolished 1975. Successor force: Central Scotland
COUNTY CONSTABULARIES
Aberdeenshire Formed 1840. Abolished 1949. Successor force: Scottish North-Eastern Counties.
Angus Formed 1840 (as Forfarshire, renamed Angus in 1928). Abolished 1975. Successor force: Tayside.
Argyllshire Formed 1840. Abolished 1975. Successor force: Strathclyde.
Ayrshire Formed 1839. Abolished 1975. Successor force: Strathclyde.
Banffshire Formed 1840. Abolished 1949. Successor force: Scottish North-Eastern Counties.
Berwickshire Formed 1850. Abolished 1948. Successor force: Berwick, Roxburgh and Selkirk.
Bute Formed 1858. Abolished 1949. Successor force: Renfrewshire and Bute.
Caithness-shire Formed 1858. Abolished 1969. Successor force: Northern.
Clackmannanshire Formed 1850. Abolished 1949. Successor force: Stirling and Clackmannan
Cromarty County Formed c.1867. Abolished 1889. Successor force: Ross and Cromarty.
Dumfriesshire Formed 1838. Abolished 1948. Successor force: Dumfries and Galloway.
Dunbartonshire Formed 1840. Abolished 1975. Successor force: Strathclyde
East Lothian (Haddingtonshire) Formed 1832. Abolished 1950. Successor force: Lothians and Peebles.
Edinburghshire – see Midlothian
Elginshire – see Morayshire
Fife Formed 1840. Abolished 2013. Successor force: Police Scotland
Forfarshire – see Angus
Haddingtonshire – see East Lothian
Inverness-shire Formed 1840. Abolished 1975. Successor force: Northern.
Kincardineshire Formed 1841. Abolished 1949. Successor force: Scottish North-Eastern Counties.
Kinross-shire Formed 1836. Abolished 1930. Successor force: Perthshire and Kinross-shire
Kirkcudbrightshire Stallion & Wall state that the force was formed in 1839, but other dates suggested for formation are 1843 and 1849. Abolished 1948. Successor force: Dumfries and Galloway.
Lanarkshire Formed 1857. Abolished 1975. Successor force: Strathclyde.
Linlithgowshire – see West Lothian
Midlothian Formed 1840 (as Edinburghshire). Abolished 1950. Successor force: Lothian and Peebles.
Morayshire Formed 1844 (as Elginshire, name changed to Morayshire in 1890). Abolished 1930. Successor force: Moray and Nairn.
Nairnshire Formed 1850. Abolished 1930. Successor force: Moray and Nairn
Orkney Formed 1858. Abolished 1969. Successor force: Northern.
Peeblesshire Formed 1841. Abolished 1950. Successor force: Lothian and Peebles.
Perthshire Formed 1839. Abolished 1930. Successor force: Perthshire and Kinross-shire.
Renfrewshire Formed 1840. Abolished 1949. Successor force: Renfrew & Bute.
Ross-shire Formed 1858. Abolished 1889. Successor force Ross & Cromarty
Ross and Cromarty Formed 1889. Abolished 1963. Successor force: Ross and Sutherland.
Roxburghshire Formed 1840. Abolished 1948. Successor force: Berwick, Roxburgh & Selkirk.
Selkirkshire Formed 1842. Abolished 1948. Successor force: Berwick, Roxburgh & Selkirk.
Shetland Formed 1883 (renamed Zetland 1940). Abolished 1969. Successor force: Northern.
Stirlingshire Formed 1850. Abolished 1949. Successor force: Stirling & Clackmannan
Sutherland Formed 1850. Abolished 1963. Successor force: Ross and Sutherland.
West Lothian Formed 1840 (as Linlithgowshire). Abolished 1950. Successor force: Lothians & Peebles.
Wester Ross Formed 1850. Abolished 1853. Successor force Ross.
Wigtownshire Formed 1838. Abolished 1948. Successor force: Dumfries & Galloway.
BURGH AND OTHER CONSTABULARIES
Aberdeen Harbour Formed – not known. Abolished 1854. Successor force: Aberdeen
Airdrie Burgh Formed 1821. Abolished 1967. Successor force: Lanarkshire
Alloa Burgh Formed 1822. Abolished 1930. Successor force: Clackmannanshire
Anderston Burgh Formed 1824. Abolished 1846. Successor force: Glasgow City
Annan Burgh Formed 1858? Abolished 1881. Successor force: Dumfries-shire.
Arbroath Burgh Formed 1836. Abolished 1949. Successor force: Angus County.
Ardrossan Burgh Formed 1859. Abolished 1878 Successor force: Ayrshire.
Ayr Burgh Formed 1845. Abolished 1968. Successor force: Ayrshire.
Banff Burgh Formed circa 1859. Abolished 1886. Successor force: Banffshire.
Blairgowrie Burgh Formed 1857. Abolished 1875. Successor force: Perthshire.
Brechin Burgh Formed 1859. Abolished 1930. Successor force: Angus.
Broughty Ferry Burgh Formed 1888. Abolished 1913. Successor force: Dundee.
Burntisland Burgh Formed 1859. Abolished 1861. Successor force: Fife.
Calton Burgh Formed 1819. Abolished 1846. Successor force: Glasgow City.
Campbeltown Burgh Formed 1858. Abolished 1863. Successor force: Argyllshire.
Clyde River Police Formed 1862. Abolished 1867. Successor force: Glasgow City.
Coatbridge Burgh Formed 1886. Abolished 1967. Successor force: Lanarkshire.
Cromarty Burgh Formed 1859. Abolished 1868. Successor force: Cromarty County
Cullen Burgh Stallion & Wall state that a force was formed in 1840 and was absorbed by Elginshire around 1861. However, Cullen burgh was in the county of Banff, not Elginshire. The Banffshire Police Committee minutes record that in 1859 the Provost of Cullen was asked whether the burgh intended to establish a force. Although there is no record of a reply, the Chief Constable of Banffshire was instructed later that year to appoint a constable for Cullen burgh ‘ with the least possible delay’ [Aberdeen City Archives: BC1/2/1, page 22]. The Banffshire Commissioners of Supply collected a police assessment from the burgh, which suggests that the burgh did not have its own force.
Cupar Burgh Formed 1859. Abolished 1864. Successor force: Fife.
Dingwall Burgh Formed 1859. Abolished 1865. Successor force: Ross.
Dumbarton Burgh Formed 1855. Abolished 1949. Successor force: Dunbartonshire
Dumfries Burgh A form of police force seems to have existed in the burgh from 1788, but a regular force probably dates from 1811. Abolished 1932. Successor force: Dumfries-shire.
Dunbar Burgh Formed 1844. Abolished 1869. Successor force: East Lothian.
Dunfermline Burgh Formed 1811. Abolished 1949. Successor force: Fife
Dysart Burgh Formed 1858. Abolished 1859? Successor force: Fife
Elgin Burgh Formed 1850. Abolished 1893. Successor force: Morayshire (known as Elginshire until 1890)
Forfar Burgh Formed 1857. Abolished 1930. Successor force: Angus.
Forres Burgh Formed c.1859. Abolished 1866. Successor force: Morayshire.
Fraserburgh Burgh Formed 1850. Stallion & Wall say 1859, but the minutes of the Fraserburgh Police Commissioners, 12 August 1850, record a resolution to employ four supernumerary constables during the herring fishing ‘to patrol chiefly on Saturday nights from 3pm to 1 o’clock’, or until the streets shall be quiet and clear of disorderly people, and to co-operate with the towns sergeant and that there [sic] attention be directed to tippling houses’. The Police Commissioners also resolved to stop paying the county police rates at this time. There is no mention of a special establishment, but the officers continue to be mentioned in the minutes thereafter. Abolished 1866. Successor force: Aberdeenshire.
Galashiels Burgh Formed 1850. Abolished 1930. Successor force: Selkirkshire.
Glasgow Airport Formed 1966. Abolished 1975. Successor force Strathclyde.
Gorbals Although not a burgh, the barony of the Gorbals maintained a police force under a local act of parliament. Formed 1808. Abolished 1846. Successor force: Glasgow City.
Govan Burgh Formed 1864. Abolished 1912. Successor force: Glasgow
Greenock Burgh Formed 1801. Abolished 1967. Successor force: Renfrew and Bute.
Greenock Harbour Formed 1817. Abolished 1822. Successor force: Greenock Burgh. Reformed 1825. Abolished 1843. Successor force: Greenock Burgh.
Haddington Burgh Formed before 1857. Abolished 1874. Successor force: East Lothian.
Hamilton Burgh Formed 1855. Abolished 1949. Successor force: Lanarkshire. Reformed 1958. Abolished 1967. Successor force: Lanarkshire.
Hawick Burgh Formed 1840. Abolished 1930. Successor force: Roxburghshire.
Helensburgh Burgh Formed 1846. Abolished 1875. Successor force: Dunbartonshire.
Inverkeithing Burgh Formed c.1859. Abolished 1885. Successor force: Fife.
Inverness Burgh Formed 1847. Abolished 1968. Successor force: Inverness-shire
Jedburgh Burgh Formed 1857. Abolished 1861. Successor force: Roxburghshire.
Johnstone Burgh Formed 1857. Abolished 1930. Successor force: Renfrewshire.
Kelso Burgh Formed 1854. Abolished 1881. Successor force: Roxburghshire.
Kilmarnock Burgh Formed 1846. Abolished 1968. Successor force: Ayrshire
Kilsyth Burgh Formed 1840. Abolished ? Successor force: Stirlingshire?
Kinning Park Burgh Formed 1892. Abolished 1905. Successor force: Glasgow City.
Kirkcaldy Burgh Formed 1877. Abolished 1949. Successor force: Fife.
Kirkintilloch Burgh Formed 1838. Abolished 1872. Successor force: Dunbartonshire.
Kirriemuir Burgh Formed 1859. Abolished 1891. Successor force: Forfarshire.
Leith Burgh Formed 1859. Abolished 1920. Successor force: Edinburgh City.
Lerwick Burgh Formed 1892. Abolished 1940. Successor force: Zetland.
Macduff Burgh Formed 1859. Abolished 1870. Successor force: Banffshire.
Maryhill Burgh Formed 1856. Abolished 1891. Successor force: Glasgow City.
Maxwelltown Burgh Formed 1863. Abolished 1890. Successor force: Kirkcudbrightshire.
Maybole Burgh Formed 1859. Abolished 1861. Successor force: Ayrshire.
Montrose Burgh Formed 1833. Abolished 1930. Successor force: Angus.
Motherwell & Wishaw Burgh Formed 1930. Abolished 1967. Successor force: Lanarkshire.
Musselburgh Burgh Formed 1835. Abolished 1841. Successor force: East Lothian.
Nairn Burgh Formed 1859. Abolished 1866. Successor force: Nairnshire.
Newburgh Burgh Formed 1859. Abolished 1969. Successor force: Fife.
North Berwick Burgh Formed ? Abolished 1857/8. Successor force: Haddingtonshire (East Lothian)
Paisley Burgh Formed 1806. Abolished 1969 1967. Successor force: Renfrew and Bute.
Partick Burgh Formed 1858. Abolished 1912. Successor force: Glasgow City.
Perth Burgh Formed 1811. Abolished 1964. Successor force: Perth and Kinross By 1964 the force was named Perth City Police, but it is not clear when the change of name took place.
Port Glasgow Burgh Formed 1857. Abolished 1895. Successor force: Renfrewshire.
Portobello Formed 1858. Abolished 1859. Successor force: Midlothian
Pulteneytown Formed 1858 [by the British Fisheries Society]. Abolished 1902. Successor force: Caithness-shire
Renfrew Burgh Formed 1857. Abolished 1930. Successor force: Renfrewshire.
Rothesay Burgh Formed 1846. Abolished 1923. Successor force: Bute.
St Andrews Burgh Formed 1858? Abolished 1859? Successor force: Fife.
Stirling Burgh Formed 1857. Abolished 1938. Successor force: Stirlingshire.
Stranraer Burgh Formed 1857. Abolished 1870. Successor force: Wigtownshire.
Thurso Burgh Formed 1841. Abolished 1873. Successor force: Caithness-shire
Wick Burgh Formed 1841. Abolished 1858. Successor force Caithness-shire. Re-formed 1863. Abolished 1873. Successor force Caithness-shire.
Wishaw Formed not known. Abolished 1859. Successor force Lanarkshire.