Chief constable of Tayside announces his retirement
Chief constable of Tayside Police, Kevin Mathieson, yesterday confirmed that he would be retiring from the force.
Chief constable of Tayside Police, Kevin Mathieson, yesterday confirmed that he would be retiring from the force.
Having been with the force since February 2007, Mr Mathieson, 49, has said he is retiring for personal reason relating to the health of a family member.
Arrangements to appoint Mr Mathiesons successor will begin after a Tayside Joint Police Board Appointments Sub Committee, due to take place in the next few days.
Members of the Tayside Joint Police Board have been advised, as has Her Majestys Inspectorate of Constabulary and Justice Minister Kenny MacAskill.
Mr Mathieson was appointed chief constable of Tayside Police on July 1 last year after having been appointed as deputy chief constable in February 2007.
Since his arrival at Tayside Police Mr Mathieson has implemented a widespread review of the force and introduced a comprehensive programme of change, aimed at ensuring that Tayside Police is efficient, effective and continues to deliver high standards of service to the public in the future.
Mr Mathiesons leadership has been widely recognised, with the joint board acknowledging that he had led the force to remarkable indeed exceptional performance during 2008-09.
Mr Mathieson began his policing career by joining Grampian Police in 1976 as a cadet, before joining as a regular constable two years later.
He undertook attachments with the police support unit, drugs squad and divisional criminal investigation department (CID), before being promoted to sergeant in 1986 under the accelerated promotion scheme.
As a detective sergeant Mr Mathieson worked in divisional CID in Aberdeen, before joining the Scottish Crime Squad, where he played a key part in the investigation of several organised drugs networks.
He returned to Grampian Police in 1991, where he was promoted to the rank of inspector and then to chief inspector in 1995, when he took up the post of force drugs co-ordinator within the community involvement department.
In 1997, following a further promotion to the rank of superintendent, Mr Mathieson was appointed area commander for operational policing in Aberdeen, a post that he carried until May 2000, when he joined Her Majestys Inspectorate of Constabulary (HMIC) at the Home Office as staff officer.
During his time at HMIC Mr Mathieson led the inspection into the police use of firearms in Sussex Police and was involved in other thematic inspections including serious crime and rape.
Returning to Grampian Police in August 2001, Mr Mathieson was promoted to chief superintendent and became head of the operational support department.
In July 2003 he was appointed to assistant chief constable with Northumbria Police, during which time he had overall responsibility for management services, including human resources, diversity, finance and information technology, operational policing and crime.
He has a higher national certificate in police studies from Aberdeen College of Commerce, a certificate in strategic management services from the Open University and a diploma in applied criminology from Cambridge University.
Commenting on Mr Mathiesons decision to retire, Councillor Ian Mackintosh, Convener of Tayside Joint Police Board, said:
The Chief Constable has formally intimated his intention to retire for family health reasons and, while we are extremely disappointed, we do fully understand and respect the reasons behind his decision. The health and well-being of ones family must always come before the job.
Kevin has been an outstanding servant to the communities of Tayside in the time that he has been a member of the Force Executive here. He leaves behind an effective Tayside Police that is performing to very high standards indeed. We wish him and his family well for the future.