# Scottish Police Federation

The Scottish Police Federation (SPF) is an organisation representing Scottish police officers. It has approximately 18,500 members across the Police Service of Scotland. It campaigns on issues that affect pay and conditions though police officers are not allowed to strike and reports to authorities on matters which affect their welfare and efficiency.
The Scottish Police Federation is led by General Secretary Calum Steele who has been in post since October 2008.

## Chairperson

| 1919–20 | Peter McAusland, Edinburgh |
| 1920 | Edward Malcolm, Aberdeenshire |
| 1920–21 | Neil Macleod, Glasgow |
| 1921–22 | John J Ryan, Glasgow (1st term of office) |
| 1922–23 | George Kay, Ayrshire |
| 1923–24 | John J Ryan, Glasgow (2nd term of office) |
| 1924–25 | William Webster, OBE, Edinburgh |
| 1925–27 | John J Ryan, Glasgow (3rd term of office) |
| 1927–30 | Arthur McIntosh, Glasgow |
| 1930–32 | John J Ryan, Glasgow (4th term of office) |
| 1932–33 | William Cowie, BL, Glasgow (1st term of office) |
| 1933 | Alexander Alexander, Glasgow |
| 1933–34 | John B Rothney, Aberdeenshire |
| 1934–39 | William Cowie, BL, Glasgow (2nd term of office) |
| 1939–42 | Thomas O Porter, Wigtownshire |
| 1942–44 | Andrew K Robertson, Glasgow |
| 1944–46 | Robert Allan, BEM, Ayrshire |
| 1946–47 | Archibald Carswell, Argyll |
| 1947–49 | William Mortimer, Aberdeen City |
| 1949–50 | George Watson, Ayr Burgh |
| 1950–54 | James Spowart, BEM, Perthshire & Kinross-shire |
| 1954–56 | James L Murchie, Glasgow |
| 1956–57 | John D Stephen, Edinburgh |
| 1957–58 | Thomas McCallum, Berwick, Roxburgh & Selkirk |
| 1958–61 | Charles L Jack, BEM, Glasgow |
| 1961–63 | Norman Clark, Edinburgh |
| 1963–66 | Donald McCulloch, BEM, Glasgow |
| 1966–68 | John Black, BEM, Glasgow |
| 1968–70 | Stuart Waldman, Glasgow |
| 1970–73 | Ronald Munro, Fife |
| 1973–76 | Donald McLean, Glasgow/Strathclyde |
| 1976–78 | Frederick Conner, BEM, Lothian & Borders |
| 1978–81 | Hamish Forrest, MBE, Strathclyde |
| 1981–82 | John Hamilton, Strathclyde |
| 1982–84 | Patrick Kennedy, Strathclyde |
| 1984–87 | Alistair W A Wallace, MBE, Strathclyde |
| 1988–89 | Kenneth MacDonald, Lothian & Borders |
| 1989–91 | Elizabeth Stewart, Strathclyde |
| 1991–00 | James Fraser, QPM, Strathclyde |
| 2000–09 | Norrie Flowers, Strathclyde |
| 2010–12 | Leslie Gray, Strathclyde |
| 2012–16 | Brian Docherty, Strathclyde |
| 2017–20 | Andrea MacDonald, West Area |
| 2020–23 | David Hamilton, North Area (Tayside) |
| 2023- | David Threadgold, North Area |
Footnote: John J Ryan, Glasgow, served four terms of office as chairman; William Cowie, BL, Glasgow, served two terms of office as chairman.

## General Secretaries

| 1919–22 | William Webster, OBE, Edinburgh (1st term of office) |
| 1922–24 | John B Craib, MBE, Ayr Burgh |
| 1924–26 | William Cowie, BL, Glasgow |
| 1926–28 | Andrew Valentine, Midlothian |
| 1928–30 | William Webster, OBE, Edinburgh (2nd term of office) |
| 1930–34 | George Machray, Edinburgh |
| 1934 | Robert Watson, Edinburgh |
| 1934–41 | William Brander, Glasgow |
| 1941–42 | William Forgie, MA, Glasgow |
| 1942–51 | George Mitchell, BEM, Coatbridge |
| 1951–56 | James Watson, Glasgow |
| 1956–63 | Robert McClement, Glasgow |
| 1963–75 | Daniel Wilson, MBE, Scottish North-Eastern Counties Constabulary |
| 1975–83 | Joseph Black, MBE, Strathclyde |
| 1983–87 | Alexander Gowl, Grampian |
| 1988–91 | Alistair W A Wallace, MBE, Strathclyde |
| 1991–05 | Douglas J Keil, MBE, QPM, Grampian |
| 2005–08 | Joe Grant, MBE, Strathclyde |
| 2008– 23 | Calum Steele, Northern |
| 2023– | David Kennedy, West Area |
Footnote: William Webster, OBE, Edinburgh, served two terms of office as Secretary.