Commenting on the retirement of Police Scotland’s chief constable Iain Livingstone, UNISON police staff branch secretary, Michelle Brewster said:

“It is not a surprise that Police Scotland’s chief constable Iain Livingstone is retiring earlier than expected. Police services are facing unsustainable Scottish government cuts, which will set back policing years. I found Iain Livingstone to be honest and genuine and he understood the vital role of police staff in fighting crime and keeping our communities safe.

I would like to wish him all the best in his retirement and thank him for fostering a strong relationship with UNISON. We didn’t always agree but he was determined that we should all work for the good of the communities we serve. We expect the new police chief to follow in his footsteps and to sit down with a new First Minister to get policing on to a positive way forward.