Eric Drummond, a former chief inspector with Tayside Police and leader of the force’s search and rescue unit, has died aged 70.
Mr Drummond was out hillwalking on May 19 when died suddenly.
He was an early member of Tayside Police Mountain Rescue team when it was formed in 1975 and went on to lead its successor, Tayside Police Search and Rescue Unit, and was awarded a Queen’s Police Medal for his services.
Fundraising
After his retiral, Mr Drummond went on to chair Tayside Mountain Rescue Association and was the driving force behind efforts to fund its base at Blairgowrie.
Police officers lined Atholl Street and Barrack Street, Perth, to pay their respects as Mr Dummond’s hearse made its way to Perth crematorium, led by two police motorcycles. A Tayside Mountain Rescue Team Land Rover also took part in the procession.
Eric Drummond came from Crook of Devon and was educated at Fossoway primary school and Dollar Academy.
Police cadet
In 1967, he joined the police as a cadet at Kinross and progressed to constable.
Six years later he was posted to Pitlochry, then Methven before he transferred to the traffic department based in Perth.
In 1977, Mr Drummond joined the CID in Perth as a detective constable. He was promoted to a uniformed sergeant and remained in Perth until a move to Crieff in 1988.
The following year, he returned to western division headquarters in Perth as a detective sergeant. In 1993 he was promoted to inspector and the following year he took charge of the traffic department, now named mobile support.
Chief inspector
In December 1998, Mr Drummond was promoted to chief inspector, working from Baluniefield in Dundee.
He retired in August 2000 after 33 years’ service.
In retirement he used his expertise in traffic management at large outdoor events including T in the Park and the Rewind music festival at Scone Palace.
Mr Drummond also continued to support both the civilian and police rescue teams and became TMRT’s first ambassador, delivering talks promoting the team.
His other interests included gardening, classic cars and making walking sticks.
He would gathered antlers from hillsides and attach parts of them to hazel sticks he carved himself.
The family’s announcement can be read here.