A new chapter began at Fife Constabulary from midnight as temporary chief constable Andrew Barker took over responsibility on the retirement of Norma Graham.
Mrs Graham announced this year she would be stepping down as chief constable and, while it is understood she has been on annual leave for a number of weeks, Monday was officially her last day at the helm of the Fife force.
Her final official duty came a fortnight ago when she opened the new St Andrews police station. It is understood she also attended a family fun day for staff at police headquarters in Glenrothes on Sunday.
Mrs Graham (50) has denied a careless driving charge heard at Kirkcaldy Sheriff Court.
Her Audi Quattro was involved in a collision with a Renault Clio on the B922 near Fife police headquarters in February and she was later charged under section three of the Road Traffic Act. The case has been continued for trial on December 5 and Graham has been ordained to appear at an intermediate diet on November 7.
However, Fife Constabulary has denied Mrs Graham’s decision to step down as chief constable has anything to do with legal proceedings against her.
Officers normally retire after 30 years and her length of service exceeds that, having started as a cadet.
Mrs Graham began her career in her home town of Musselburgh, working her way up to become detective chief superintendent.
In 2002 she became assistant chief constable of Central Scotland Police, completing the strategic command course with a diploma in applied criminology from Cambridge University during her three years there.
Mrs Graham took charge of Fife Constabulary in 2005 and was awarded the Queen’s Police Medal in 2008.
She stepped down from her £120,000-a-year post the day after her 50th birthday and seven months before a single Scottish police force is up and running.
Mr Barker will stay in post as chief constable until then. He joined the force in March 2009 as assistant chief constable before being promoted to the role of deputy chief constable in March 2011.
Temporary assistant chief constable Tom Ewing also assumes the responsibilities of deputy chief constable.
The two appointments were decided by Fife Council’s police transition committee this month and have been approved by Justice Secretary Kenny MacAskill.
Mr Barker said: ”It is both an honour and a privilege to be asked to serve as the chief constable for Fife Constabulary.
”I will seek to build on the excellent work of Chief Constable Graham, which has seen crime in Fife reduced by 49% over the past seven years.”