The north’s new police chief has spoken of his pride and vision for the future after taking on the “best job in the world”.
Chief Superintendent Philip MacRae said he hoped to be judged on his relationship with local communities and record of cutting crime after officially taking over as the new commander for the Highlands and islands.
The 49-year-old issued a robust defence of controversial control room closures as he spoke to the press for the first time since his appointment.
And he predicted fresh evidence would emerge to finally solve high-profile murders which have cast a shadow over the region, such as those of Nairn banker Alistair Wilson and Inverness mother Renee MacRae.
He takes over the reins from Julian Innes, who is stepping down after 30 years of service and who hailed his successor yesterday as someone who “knows the Highlands and islands inside out”.
Born in Aberdeen, Ch Supt MacRae went to primary and secondary school in Inverness and said: “I consider myself to be an Inverness boy.”
He has been in the force for 27 years, entirely in the Highlands and islands.
After starting out in Tain he moved to Lochboisdale on South Uist, before serving in both Inverness and Caithness.
“So I got experience of as rural policing as you can get, to the most urban policing that we have in the Highlands and islands,” he said.
“Having grown up in the area, having started my policing career in the Highlands, I can think of no better job.
“To actually lead the team in the area in which you’ve been policing all your service, it’s the best job in the world. It’s the pinnacle of a career, you could say.”
For the last three years, Ch Supt MacRae has been responsible for “contact, command and control” operations in northern Scotland, meaning he has had the task of defending controversial moves to close police control rooms in Aberdeen and Inverness.
After the changes, Highlanders will speak to staff in Dundee, rather than Inverness, when they dial 101 or 999.
However, the Highland capital will host the new National Control Centre for Scotland, which will run the police national computer and criminal history checks across the country.
Ch Supt MacRae said it could lead to extra jobs being created.
“My view is that we’re maintaining services in Inverness, we’re maintaining a facility in Inverness, which rather than just maintaining the status quo with staff numbers, there’s potential to grow the number of people who are working in the area, so that’s a positive for me,” he said.
Ch Supt MacRae takes command of a force which has longstanding unsolved crimes hanging over it, not least the fatal shooting of Mr Wilson 11 years ago and the mysterious disappearance of Mrs MacRae four decades ago.
He believes justice can still be done in such cases, saying: “I fully hope that in the future we will be able to solve these murders.
“I would certainly like to think that we will have the information come to us from members of the public that will give us an insight into what happened.”
He added: “I think in general the Highlands and islands are a very, very safe place to live and work and I wouldn’t reflect on the safety of the area based on anomalous crimes.”
Despite that message, Ch Supt MacRae said cutting violence in the Highlands was a top priority.
“There are a number of priorities and the priorities have been established over the last few years with the community, and clearly the things that concern the community relate to violent crime, antisocial behaviour, disorder – things that effect the quality of life in communities.
“My intention is to continue the hard work that has already been going on within the Highlands and islands and improve on that.”
He praised his predecessor, Mr Innes, saying: “He’s given me a very high standard to follow and a very high target.”
