THE monopoly men have held over one of the most powerful positions in Scotland finally ended yesterday with the appointment of Scotland's first female chief constable.
Norma Graham, 45, has been promoted from number two at Fife Constabulary to take the reigns of the country's fifth largest police force, following predecessor Peter Wilson's retirement last month.
The appointment was welcomed by Justice Secretary
Kenny MacAskill, who paid tribute to her "championing" of greater diversity in the predominantly white, male police service.
Mrs Graham, who joined the police in 1981, said she was "absolutely delighted" to be appointed chief constable.
"It is a real honour to be asked to lead an organisation that is so committed to providing a high quality policing service to our communities.
"I look forward to building on the excellent work of my predecessor, and to working closely with the police, fire and safety committee and other community planning partners in delivering meaningful outcomes for the people of Fife."
Mrs Graham had been deputy chief constable of Fife Constabulary since November 2005. She began her career with Lothian and Borders Police, where she carried out several uniform and CID roles, rising to become head of the force's drug squad and in charge of policy matters.
On promotion to the rank of superintendent, she became divisional commander in the north of Edinburgh and later moved to HM Inspectorate of Constabulary, responsible for the inspection of all Scottish forces. She returned to Lothian and Borders and was appointed head of crime management.
In 2002, she was appointed assistant chief constable of Central Scotland police, and took up the post of Fife Constabulary's deputy chief constable three years later. Mrs Graham has been acting chief constable since Mr Wilson left the force last month.
Mr MacAskill said: "I congratulate Norma Graham on her appointment as the first female chief constable in Scotland.
"She has made, and I am sure will continue to make, an outstanding contribution to policing in Scotland, through her effectiveness in operational leadership; her championing of diversity in a service that is, even now, still predominantly white and male in composition; and her commitment as a driver of change and modernisation in the police service."
Mrs Graham was appointed by a committee of eight councillors chaired by Peter Grant, the leader of Fife Council. The committee's advisers included by Fife Council chief executive Ronnie Hinds, and Paddy Tompkins, Scotland's chief inspector of constabulary.
Mr Grant said: "I'm delighted that Norma has decided to take up the offer of this hugely important post for Fife.
"She is highly qualified having worked at a senior level for a number of years and has fantastic experience."
Mrs Graham heads a force with more than 1,000 officers, covering an area with a 350,000-strong population.
Central Fife MSP, Tricia Marwick, said: "This is a historic appointment and a recognition of all the great work carried out by female police officers on behalf of the people of Scotland.
"Norma Graham has an enviable record, not least in her sterling work as deputy chief constable in Fife. I have no doubt that she will play a major role in improving the safety of the people of Fife and making the police responsive to the needs of our communities."
A long-awaited breakthrough in 'male preserve' of police THE appointment of Norma Graham's is a long-awaited breakthrough for women seeking parity with men in Scotland's police service.
Until yesterday, no woman has ever held the position of chief constable in Scotland.
Given more enlightened attitudes to sexual equality in the workplace today, this is remarkable given the fact chief constables have been around for 150 years.
While Mrs Graham's appointment is undoubtedly based on merit alone, it will help to break the psychological ceiling that still holds some women back from progressing in a career that remains male-dominated.
Another high-ranking women police officer recently spoke of the need for more female "role models" in the police service.
Chief Superintendent Valerie McHoull, who last month became the first female president of a leading police representative body, the Association of Scottish Police Superintendents, said she felt there was a "lingering perception" that the police service was "a male preserve". Selecting Scotland's first female chief constable should go a long way to ending that perception.
The full article contains 732 words and appears in The Scotsman newspaper.
