Strathclyde Police boss Stephen House named single police force chief

Strathclyde Police chief Stephen House has been appointed the first chief constable of the new single Scottish police force.

Mr House is expected to formally take up the £208,000-a-year role later this autumn.

The Police Service of Scotland announced the appointment on Tuesday.

According to the service, the single national force comes into effect next April.

Mr House will work alongside Vic Emery, chairman of the Scottish Police Authority, which will hold the new service to account.

The police chief said: "I am delighted to accept this new and exciting post. My views on the creation of a single Police Service of Scotland have been widely publicised so it gives me great professional pride to be trusted with the responsibility for developing and leading the new service.

"The priority for the new service will be to continue keeping people safe in Scotland and there will be no let up on the work to tackle organised criminality, violence and all the other issues which are of concern to our communities. Local policing is a vital part of this and I am determined that it will be at the heart of the Police Service of Scotland ethos."

Mr House joined Strathclyde Police having previously served for the Metropolitan Police in London. He had applied to become commissioner for the Met last year after his crackdown on violent crimes and gangs in Glasgow although he was unsuccessful.

The 54-year-old's appointment to lead the new force was welcomed by Mr Emery, who said: "I am delighted to welcome Stephen House as the first Chief Constable of the new Police Service of Scotland. He will bring a wealth of experience and authority to the role.

"It will be the authority's role to be a national voice on policing so that we make the right national choices. We will ensure the Police Service of Scotland retains a powerful focus on the needs of the people we serve and that's a fundamental principle that I know Mr House shares. "

Justice Secretary Kenny MacAskill added: "Stephen House has the skills and experience to lead the service as we embark on this new era - I am confident he will be an outstanding first Chief Constable. He has an impressive track record of leadership, partnership working and delivery.

"Mr House will inherit a police service which is performing excellently - crime is at a 37-year low, assisted by over 1000 additional officers we have delivered in communities since 2007, and public confidence is high. We are reforming from a position of strength - and Vic Emery and Stephen House will work together to ensure a smooth transition into a new Police Service of Scotland we can be proud of."

According to the annual accounts of the Strathclyde Police Authority, Mr House earned around £182,000 for his work as chief constable last year.

Convenor of Strathclyde Police Authority, Councillor Philip Braat, wished him the best in his new role.

Mr Braat said: "Steve House has done a superb job in his time with Strathclyde Police and he was clearly the outstanding candidate for the top job in Scotland.

"His new role will certainly be a huge challenge, but I am fully confident he will bring to the post the same vigour, intelligence and foresight as he has shown while in Strathclyde. Scotland's single police force will be in the best of hands and I wish him every success for the future."

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