New Chief Inspector of Constabulary

Craig Naylor is to be appointed as Her Majesty's Chief Inspector of Constabulary in Scotland.

Mr Naylor is currently Deputy Director of Investigations at the National Crime Agency. He has over 30 years policing experience including as Deputy Chief Constable in Lincolnshire Police and as a Divisional Commander at Police Scotland.

Mr Naylor will lead HM Inspectorate of Constabulary Scotland (HMICS) in delivering an annual programme of independent inspection, monitoring and evaluation of Police Scotland.

He will also be a source of professional independent advice on police matters, publish reports of inspections and produce an annual report to Ministers on the police service in Scotland.

The appointment, which follows an external recruitment competition, is made by Royal Warrant. The post is entirely independent of Government, police and the Scottish Police Authority.

Cabinet Secretary for Justice and Veterans Keith Brown said:

“HMICS plays a vital role in ensuring Scotland’s police continue to perform their duties to a high standard as they strive to keep Scotland’s communities safe.

“With such a strong and varied policing background, much of it spent in Scottish policing, Craig Naylor brings a great wealth of experience to the role of Chief Inspector of Constabulary in Scotland. I am delighted that he has been appointed to this role.

“I would also like to put on record my gratitude to Gill Imery for fulfilling this extremely important role for the last four years.  She has made an outstanding contribution to policing in Scotland  and I wish her well in whatever she chooses to do next.”

Mr Naylor said:

“I am delighted and extremely honoured to have been appointed to the role of HM Chief Inspector of Constabulary in Scotland.

“The importance of having independent and objective scrutiny of policing to ensure challenging issues are addressed, as well as to highlight the positive contribution policing makes in our communities and in keeping people safe, cannot be overstated.

“A strong and independent Inspectorate should enhance the legitimacy of the service provided to Scotland’s communities.”                                                                                                                                                                                    

Background

Craig Naylor joined the National Crime Agency from Lincolnshire Police in August 2019 where he was Deputy Chief Constable. Throughout his policing career he has managed a range of diverse portfolios at a senior level. He previously served with Police Scotland where he held the role of Divisional Commander for Specialist Service and was responsible for firearms, public order, search and dogs. Prior to that he worked in a number of roles across the former Lothian and Borders Police and the Scottish Crime and Drug Enforcement Agency.

His appointment follows an external recruitment competition. He will take up his official duties on 21 March 2022. The appointment is made by Royal Warrant and is for a period of three years with the possibility of extension. It is entirely independent of Government, police and the Scottish Police Authority.

HM Inspectorate of Constabulary in Scotland is an independent scrutiny body, which has been in existence since the nineteenth century. HM Chief Inspector of Constabulary in Scotland is the senior professional police adviser to Scottish Ministers. The statutory duties of HMICS are set out in Chapter 11 of the Police and Fire Reform (Scotland) Act 2102.

Her Majesty's Inspectorate of Constabulary in Scotland is a Crown appointment and it lays its reports before the Scottish Parliament. It has statutory responsibility for the inspection of the effectiveness and efficiency of the police service in Scotland.