Police Scotland welcomes nineteen new recruits to Highland and Islands Division

11th October 2014

As of Friday 10 October 2014, nineteen new Police Scotland recruits will be completing their final week of training at the Highland and Islands Division Police Headquarters in Inverness. The recruits have spent 12 weeks at the Scottish Police College in Tulliallan, undertaking intense training in variety of areas including learning general policing duties, legislation, traffic management and undertaking physical fitness assessment.

During their final training week in Inverness, the recruits undertook specialist training relevant to the North area including; an insight into wildlife crime, public protection unit, offender management and time with the Major Incident Team.

With their 13 week training period now complete, the recruits will begin their two year probationary period at their allocated station, during which time they will be mentored by an experienced officer.

With many recruits from out with the area, they are looking forward to experiencing both living and working in the Highlands and Islands.

Welcoming the new recruits Divisional Commander, Chief Superintendent Julian Innes said:

"I'm delighted to welcome our new officers to the area. The Highlands and Islands present a safe and satisfying place to live, often presenting policing matters as unique as our geography.

"In our combined eighty years of police service, Superintendents Angus MacPherson, Ross MacKillop and I all agree that this is the largest intake of new police recruits to the area during our time.

"I'm very pleased to see such a high number of enthusiastic new officers during our second year as Police Scotland. I’m sure communities across the Highlands and Islands will see our successful ongoing recruitment campaign as a key part of honouring our commitment to keeping people safe.

"There is no doubt our new recruits will have a challenging, yet rewarding career ahead of them."

Chief Superintendent Innes added: "For those who are considering joining Police Scotland, the role of a police officer is a challenging but hugely rewarding career. No two days are ever the same and you get a lot of job satisfaction knowing that what you're doing is helping to keep people safe."

For information on the recruitment process or to fill out an application form visit the recruitment section of the Police Scotland website.

If selected, newly recruited officers will complete twelve weeks training at the Scottish Police College in Tulliallan near Stirling and thereafter recruits are posted to local police offices, where they will serve a probationary period of two years.

The starting salary is £23,493 rising to £26,223 after completing 31 weeks of the initial training. The salary then rises again to £27,747 on completion of two years service when officers are confirmed.

Photo
from left to right; Superintendent Angus MacPherson, PC565 Lucille Ritchie (Inverness), PC720 Daniel Johnston (Kirkwall), PC701 Jonathon Wilkin (Wick), PC596 Mark Stevenson (Nairn), PC531 Maxine Jardine (Wick), PC495 Emma Innes (Lerwick), PC561 Zara Murray (Inverness), PC602 Ross Woolley (Fort William), PC488 James Halcrow (Stornoway), Chief Superintendent Julian Innes, PC540 Mark McNeill (Inverness), PC534 Sara MacDonald (Dingwall), PC467 Andrew Greaves (Lerwick), PC562 Agnieszka Paluch (Inverness), PC528 Alastair Inverarity (Kirkwall), PC466 Peter Gracie (Lerwick), PC540 Mark McNeill (Inverness), PC546 Damion McNiven (Inverness), PC532 Kyle Lawson (Alness), PC Gemma Low (Aviemore), Superintendent Ross MacKillop.