Bill Skelly became HM Inspector of Constabulary[1] for Scotland by Royal Warrant in December 2008,[2][3] on the retirement of Paddy Tomkins HMCIC. He is seconded from Lothian and Borders Police where he was appointed temporary Deputy Chief Constable in August 2008, having previously been the Assistant Chief Constable (Crime and Operational Support). He initially joined Lothian and Borders Police in 1990 and held various plain clothes and uniformed roles across the force and beyond including a period with Audit Scotland. During this time he also completed an MBA
He successfully completed the Command Course at Bramshill in 2004 and graduated from Cambridge with a Diploma in Applied Criminology.
In 2005, he was seconded to New Scotland Yard leading the Immigration Crime Team within the Covert Policing Branch of the Metropolitan Police, followed by nine months in charge of the operational strands of the UK campaign targeting criminals involved in the trafficking of women for sexual exploitation. His work in this area was recognised by the award of his second Chief Constable's commendation.
On his return to Lothian and Borders, he led on a number of national policing issues including Liquor Licensing, CBRN, Public Protection and Ports Policing.
In 2007 he participated in the International Visitor Leadership Program organised by the US State Department and was made an honorary Colonel of Kentucky.
He is the chair of Police Sport UK Volleyball Section and in January 2009 reached the personal milestone of playing in a European match, as a member of the Great Britain Police Team competing against Finland.
He grew up in the small Angus village of Auchterhouse, was educated locally at Newtyle and Harris Academy and went on to read Mathematics and Physics at Edinburgh University.
| Police appointments | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by Paddy Tomkins |
HM Inspector of Constabulary for Scotland 2009 – |
Incumbent |