Inverness Burgh Police


The Inverness Burgh Police was the police force responsible for the Royal Burgh of Inverness, Scotland from 1847 until 1968.

History

Although law enforcement of a kind had been present in the Royal Burgh of Inverness since time immemorial, by 1827 the Inverness Courier complained of the lack of an efficient police. The Town Council from then on made use of the services of the Town Serjeants to enforce the law. In 1843 there was one Serjeant in overall charge and two more who patrolled the town during the day. A body of six watchmen patrolled the burgh at night.
In 1840 the County of Inverness-shire set up its own police, the Inverness-shire Constabulary, and in 1841 Inverness's Town Officers became part of the Inverness-shire force. The County Superintendent took overall command of the joint organisation and Town Serjeant Alexander Grant became Sub-Inspector for the Inverness District, with additional watchmen being appointed for the Burgh and Landward area.
This arrangement existed until 1847, when the Royal Burgh set up its own police force, authority to do so being contained in a local Act of Parliament.
The first Superintendent of Inverness Burgh Police was David Anderson, appointed on 4 September 1847. The force merged again with Inverness-shire Constabulary on 16 November 1968 to form the Inverness Constabulary.

Chief Officers

The Chief Officer was called the Superintendent until 1892, when he was renamed the Chief Constable.
William Paterson was the only member of the force to rise through the ranks within the force to Chief Constable.