Fife’s top police officer says she is “ecstatic and excited” about the challenge ahead after being appointed permanent commander of Police Scotland’s Fife Division.
It is very much a homecoming for Chief Superintendent Angela McLaren, who started her career as a constable in St Andrews in 1996 before rising through the ranks.
And although it has been a tough time for policing across Scotland of late, CS McLaren, who has been in temporary charge since July, is relishing the opportunity she has been given.
“I think the benefit for me having worked in all ranks in Fife is that I can relate to what each of the areas are doing,” she said.
“When you first join the service you are not joining thinking about promotion – you are thinking about just being a police officer.
“But obviously I’m really pleased and I am passionate about community policing and want to make the best use of Police Scotland’s national resources to support Fife Division.
“My focus is keeping people safe, not just from crime but also from harm.
“I’m pleased to see some really good initiatives across Fife and there have been some excellent examples of partnership working I’m delighted to promote and support.”
After becoming an Inspector, CS McLaren left Fife to take up a secondment with the Association of Chief Police Officers Scotland before becoming Chief Inspector and Local Commander in South West Fife and Dunfermline.
She was then appointed project manager for the Pathways to Policing Project at the Scottish Police College and, on promotion to Superintendent in 2014, she was posted to Tayside where she held various portfolios.
Married with two children and living in Dunfermline, CS McLaren also did her secondary schooling in Fife, having attended Waid Academy in Anstruther where her family still live, before gaining a degree from the University of Abertay.
It has been a time of transition for Police Scotland in recent years with the move to a single force, and that is set to continue with the new chief constable Phil Gormley due to take up his post in January.
“I think it’s an exciting time,” CS McLaren continued.
“Policing is a resilient community and we’re used to that level of change.
“It’s been a huge job that Sir Stephen House undertook bringing the agencies and forces together, and Mr Gormley is coming in to a period where we’re more settled.
“This is a good time to focus on strengthening working relationships with our communities and partners to achieve the priorities that matter to the people of Fife.
“The first two years were understandably difficult and fast moving, but now in year three I think we’re seeing things settle down.
“I think it’s important to maintain community contact, and to make sure people understand that policing is still policing – whether it was Fife Constabulary or Police Scotland.”
Fife has been at the forefront of high-profile incidents in the past year, most notably the death in custody of Kirkcaldy man Sheku Bayoh in May.
The Police Investigations and Review Commissioner will present its findings into the case in 2016 and, on that point, CS McLaren said: “We again pass on our condolences to the family of Sheku Bayoh. As the Divisional Commander for Fife I know that, whatever the outcome, it is our responsibility to build confidence in local policing and to meet the needs of all our residents throughout Fife.”
Welcoming CS McLaren back, Margaret Kennedy, Fife’s community safety chair, concluded: “Angie has already started to build networks and a strong foundation to take policing forward.
“Her previous experience in Fife, coupled with her new experiences from other areas make, her an ideal choice to lead policing across the region.”