Former Strathclyde officer to be Tayside’s police commander

Chief Superintendent Eddie Smith has been chosen at the new police commander for Tayside.

He will succeed Chief Superintendent Hamish Macpherson, who has been moved to a new role in Police Scotland.

A report to be presented to councillors on Dundee’s policy and resources committee next week explains that “the Chief Constable proposes to appoint Chief Superintendent Eddie Smith as the local commander for Dundee, Perth and Kinross and Angus. The committee is asked to agree to this nomination.”

Mr Smith has spent most of his career with the former Strathclyde Police, including serving as divisional commander in South Lanarkshire.

He has expertise in hostage negotiations and football match disorder and he was a match commander at Old Firm games.

He has trained at the FBI Academy in America.

Mr Smith has been keen to promote officers’ use of social media, such as Twitter, to improve the force’s communication with the public and explain what they are doing.