The new police area commander for the Mearns has vowed to focus on keeping the area one of the safest places in Scotland.
Chief Inspector Richard Craig said he would listen and respond to the needs of communities in his patch as he was appointed the new area commander for Aberdeenshire South.
He said: “Aberdeenshire is a vibrant place to live, work and visit and I am extremely excited to be taking on my new role.
“My focus will remain on keeping my part of Aberdeenshire safe for people who stay and visit the area. It is one of the safest places in Scotland and one we can all be proud of.
“However, a thriving local economy does bring its challenges and there is no room for complacency.
“As local area commander, I am absolutely committed to keeping people safe and my focus will remain on listening to communities and targeting their needs.”
Chief Inspector Craig joined the police in October 1991, based in Aberdeen, and worked in the traffic and firearms departments.
This saw him undertake royal protection duties and he also worked in the Netherlands during the Lockerbie bombing trial.
In 2003, he was promoted to sergeant and worked in Fraserburgh and Peterhead before being promoted to inspector at Fraserburgh in 2007.
In 2010 he was promoted to chief inspector.
Chief Inspector Craig’s role will see him responsible for five community policing teams including the Kincardine and Mearns unit.
He added: “It is a huge and diverse area to cover but it brings exciting challenges too.
“A new police office at Laurencekirk will be opening soon which shows our commitment to keeping policing right at the heart of the community.”