About Us

With approximately 8,000 police officers and 2,700 police staff working round the clock, Strathclyde Police is Scotland’s largest police force, and one of the biggest in the UK.

The Force was formed in 1975 and provides a vast range of policing services on behalf of 12 local authorities.

We currently protect nearly 2.3 million people across 5,371 square miles of Scotland — from Glasgow’s lively urban areas to the rural remoteness of the Inner Hebrides — with policing services specifically tailored to the individual needs of our various communities.

There are eight territorial divisions within Strathclyde Police, each headed by a divisional commander. Each division is divided into sub divisions, serving the public at a local level.

Delivering police services in the midst of Scotland’s unique geography and climate requires a number of specialist units to complement traditional policing, such as our highly trained police dogs, mounted police officers, underwater search and rescue, and helicopter support. You’ll also find our ‘beat cops’ saving lives on Mountain Rescue teams or making music with the world-famous Strathclyde Police Force Pipe Band.

Partnership working is an essential part of modern policing and Strathclyde Police works closely with a wide range of statutory and non-statutory agencies to improve the quality of life in the communities we serve.