SPF - Key Persons

Job Titles:

• Member of the East Area Committee
• Deputy Secretary of the East Area Committee of the Scottish Police Federation
• Deputy Secretary, East Area Committee

David became the Deputy Secretary of the East Area Committee of the Scottish Police Federation in July 2022. He became a full-time office bearer for the East in July 2022. David joined Central Scotland Police in 2000, he spent his entire service in Response Policing during which time he obtained a specialism as a Licensed Search Officer, something he did in addition to his core duties for almost 20 years. He worked solely in Central Scotland Police and then in what became C Division (Forth Valley) with the creation of Police Scotland in 2013. David became a local area representative in 2015, initially as a Constable and was elected as a Sergeants' rep when promoted the following year. David is trained in Equality matters and Conduct. He was the Conduct lead in C Division for several years and is now the Conduct lead for the East.

Job Titles:

• Member of the East Area Committee
• Secretary, East Area Committee

Graham became the Deputy Secretary of the East Area Committee of the Scottish Police Federation July 2022. He joined Fife Constabulary as a Cadet in 1992 and was appointed Constable in 1994. He then worked in a variety of roles predominantly in Response Policing, Custody and CID. In 2015, he was elected as a Sergeants representative and he is trained in basic SPF duties as well as Conduct. He became a member of the Joint Central Committee in 2018.

Job Titles:

• Member of the East Area Committee
• Chairman of East Area Committee

John took up post of the Chair of the East Area Committee of the Scottish Police Federation in July 2022. Joining Fife Police in 2000 he began his policing career in Dunfermline before transferring to Ballingry when he became part of the Fife Drug Squad's Surveillance Team. Prior to joining the Federation as a full-time official John was Fife's Field Intelligence Officer and Surveillance Gatekeeper. John has further specialisms of Disaster Victim Identification undertaking deployments to Sri Lanka, CBRN and Crime Scene Manager. He has completed training in Equality, Health and Safety, Conduct and currently holds the portfolio for People and Equality in the East Area.

Norman Morrison was born on 21st October 1869 in Shawbost on the Isle of Lewis. He was one of a family of nine and had little or no formal education. He joined the City of Glasgow Police aged 19, transferred to Argyll County Police and was stationed in Oban. He was ‘sacked', reinstated, successfully challenged a decision to retire him on ill-health and eventually retired as a sergeant with over 30 years service in 1922. He later became a Doctor of Science and Fellow of the Zoological Society of Scotland. What has this to do with the Scottish Police Federation? Norman Morrison, more than any other police officer in Scotland, was responsible for the creation of the SPF. Prior to 1919, pay and conditions for police officers were poor. In 1911, with others, Norman Morrison began to campaign for improvements such as a weekly rest day! Police pay was equivalent to that for agricultural and unskilled labourers. In 1913, a National Union of Police and Prison Officers was formed. The authorities were unhappy to say the least that police officers were members of the Union. On 11th February 1919, Norman Morrison was summoned to see the chief constable and told, Norman Morrison ‘chose' resignation. The chief constable instructed him to write out his compulsory resignation there and then. Two constables, Archibald Campbell and James Ross were similarly treated. The people of Oban were outraged at the actions of the chief constable and held a meeting in support of Norman Morrison and his colleagues. The community wrote to the Prime Minister in protest at the dismissals and a week later the men were reinstated. Throughout Britain similar unrest over police pay and conditions was apparent. In July 1919, a short and frankly poorly supported police strike took place. Government eventually realised it had to act to resolve the situation. Norman Morrison was transferred away from Oban following his reinstatement, undoubtedly as a punishment for challenging the authorities. The same authorities tried unsuccessfully to retire him on ill-health when he acknowledged he suffered ‘insomnia'. Speaking about the day he ‘resigned', he recalled that he faced an order to vacate his police house within a week and there were no available houses in Oban or in other nearby towns for him, his wife and four children - "Yet I had my convictions and principles at stake, and the man who barters his principles for material gain is, in my opinion, on the same level as the beasts of the field.

Job Titles:

• Member of the East Area Committee
• Vice Chair of the East Area Committee
• Vice Chair, East Area Committee

Ricky became the Vice Chair of the East Area Committee in July 2022. He joined Lothian & Borders Police in 2002 and worked in the Wester Hailes area of Edinburgh. In 2010 he transferred to Lincolnshire Police before returning to Lothian and Borders Police in 2012. He spent 13 years in Uniform working in response and community roles. In 2015 he become the OST coordinator for the East, having been an instructor since 2006. During this time, he was also a lead TASER instructor and was involved in the initial roll out. He has been public order trained since 2005. Ricky was elected as an Edinburgh rep in 2014 and is a Trustee for The Police Treatment Centre, The Police Children's Charity and the Scottish Police Benevolent Fund. He currently has the Portfolio for Health and Safety.