When was Lothian and Borders Police established?

Lothian and Borders Police was formed on May 16th 1975 by an amalgamation of Berwick, Roxburgh and Selkirk Constabulary, Edinburgh City Police and The Lothian's and Peebles Constabulary. Local government structures in Scotland changed again in 1996 but the overall area policed by Lothian and Borders Police remained the same.

Which areas does the force cover?

The Lothian and Borders Police area stretches from Blackridge in the West to Newcastleton in the South and covers the City of Edinburgh, East Lothian, West Lothian, Midlothian and the Scottish Borders. It is split into four territorial divisions: A division which covers the city of Edinburgh, E division which covers East and Midlothian, F division covers West Lothian and G Division covers the Scottish Borders.

How do I contact my local Station?

The local station numbers can be found in the "Contact Us" section of the website or by clicking on the links below.

A-Division - The city of Edinburgh

Central Edinburgh / Western Edinburgh / Eastern Edinburgh

E- Division - East Lothian and Midlothian

East & Midlothian

F-Division - West Lothian

West Lothian

G-Division - Scottish Borders

The Scottish Borders

What do the divisions do?

Each of the four divisions is split into polcing areas. Officers from each division respond to calls from the public in their area although they can be called on to attend in other areas if necessary. As well as investigating crime, Officers from each division work closely with local communities and partner agencies to prevent crime and build safer communities.

Who is in charge?

David Strang is the Chief Constable is of Lothian and Borders Police and he is supported by the Deputy Chief Constable, two Assistant Chief Constables and the Director of Resources.

What does Lothian and Borders Police do?

Our purpose is to provide a policing service to the people of Lothian and Borders with the ultimate aim of ‘Building Safer Communities’.

How do we achieve our aims?

In order to be successful in achieving our purpose of building safer communities, we set a number of policing priorities by examining the challenges we face locally, nationally and globally. We also carry out consultations with partner agencies and our communities.

Our priorities are split into two groups, Operational and Organisational.

Operational

As well as responding to and investigating all crimes and incidents, we will focus our activities to address:

• Violence
• Drugs
• Public Protection
• Terrorism
• Anti-social Behaviour
• Serious and Organised Crime Groups

Organisational

• Public Satisfaction with Service Delivery
  
• Maximising Capacity in a Challenging Economic Environment

What is Lothian and Borders Police doing for young people?

We believe it is important that young people do not view the police as 'the enemy' and we aim to increase our work with younger members of the community through youth conferences, community policing, school visits and local projects.

How many people are employed by Lothian and Borders Police?

Lothian and Borders Police employs around 3,000 police officers and 1,300 police staff, making it the second largest force in Scotland.

What types of jobs are there in Lothian and Borders Police?

Police officers generally do not spend their entire police career doing the same job. They move around different departments and divisions to increase their overall knowledge of the police service. They can spend time in uniformed operations, the Criminal Investigation Department, Traffic, Community Safety, Scottish Crime Squad, Media Relations and Corporate Development as well as patrolling in the community.

How do you apply to join the police? What qualifications do you need?

To join Lothian and Borders Police you need to be over 18 years old. No specific academic qualifications are required but you must pass an examination as part of the recruitment process. You also need to pass a fitness test, assessment interview, a medical, home visit and final interview. For further information contact the Police Recruitment Team, Personnel Department on 0131-311-3486/3633. othian and Borders Police an equal opportunities employer?

Do you offer work placement opportunities?

Presently, the work placement scheme is under review. Any enquiries should be directed to the Personnel Department on 0131-311-3486.

Can anybody become involved with crime prevention?

Many people want to be more involved in the safety of their community. You can do this by joining a Community Safety Panel or Neighbourhood Watch Scheme. There are currently around 14 Community Safety Panels involved in local initiatives to tackle problems that are particular to their community and to raise crime prevention awareness in general. Around 53,000 homes in the Lothian and Borders Police area belong to Neighbourhood Watch Schemes. There is probably one near you. For more information, contact our Safer Communities department on 0131 311 3371. We have also answered an number of frequently asked questions about the Neighbourhood Watch Scheme

How can I obtain more information about Lothian and Borders Police?

More information about Lothian and Borders Police can be obtained from the Force Information Unit or through the Safer Communities Department at headquarters. We also have an Information Centre in the High Street in Edinburgh that offers information and advice.

Find out more about Lothian and Borders Police