For the divisional police commander for Glenrothes and Kirkcaldy, her new post is something of a homecoming.
Chief Inspector Nicola Shepherd has described her role as a “huge responsibility” but has vowed to build on the work of her predecessor and continue the crackdown on local crime.
The former Collydean Primary and Glenwood High pupil joined the police cadets in 1992. She succeeds Derek McEwan, who has been promoted to the position of superintendent in charge of Northern Custody Division.
Talking about her new role to The Courier, Ms Shepherd said: “It’s a huge responsibility as it’s a big area.
“It’s an area that’s doing very well and I want that to continue and leave a mark. When I joined as a cadet, the person in charge was this postholder.
“I always thought, ‘Wow, what a role that must be’. For me it was the top job, so to have it is very pleasing.”
A year after joining up, Ms Shepherd joined the “regulars” and has steadily progressed through the ranks ever since. She spent the first 10 years of her career in Glenrothes, initially as an officer before taking up a post in CID.
A stint in north-east Fife saw her promoted to sergeant in 2005 and inspector in 2009. More recently, she has been in Levenmouth CID as a Detective Inspector, before taking up her role as Chief Inspector last week.
Fondly recalling her early days on the beat, Ms Shepherd admits she enjoyed making a difference out on the streets of Fife.
When asked about her initial priorities in her new role, she said that the public’s concerns would always come first.
“We always bear in mind the issues people want us to address,” she said.
“It might be what people term low-level but it is what matters to people, like parking around the schools.
“We do firefight quite a lot but it’s bringing it back to what we’re here to do and that’s addressing the issues that people take time to raise to us.”