Former Deputy Chief Constable, Strathclyde Police.

Born May 23rd, 1930

Died October 20th, 2017

Alex Morrison, who has died aged 87, was Deputy Chief Constable of Strathclyde Police, from 1977 until 1985.

Alexander Morrison was born in the Maryhill district of Glasgow and, at the start of the Second World War, was evacuated to live with his grandparents, in the village of Carmunnock. Alex’s secondary education was at Rutherglen Academy and, at the age of 18, he was called up for National Service in the Royal Air Force. He was drafted into the Royal Air Force Police but, after some months, was transferred to the Special Investigation Branch. In the beginning, Alex was based at the Air Ministry in London and was then posted to Northern Ireland. He so enjoyed the work he decided to extend his service and signed on for another 5 years. He was promoted to Sergeant, transferred to Egypt and was based for some 2½ years at Ismailia, in the Suez Canal Zone, where he gained considerable experience in anti-terrorist operations. At the end of his tour, he returned to the UK and was stationed near Manchester, to carry out criminal investigations in the north of England.

On demobilisation, Alex joined the then City of Glasgow Police and, after training, was sent to the Eastern Division, in the Bridgeton district of Glasgow. He soon made his mark and, with only six years of service, was promoted to Sergeant in Govan Division. Rapidly he moved through the ranks – Inspector and later Chief Inspector in the Northern Division, Superintendent in the Central Division and Commandant of the Training School, and Chief Superintendent in the Marine and Northern Divisions. In 1974, the reorganisation of local government was looming and Alex was given the task of chairing a committee to prepare all the Standing Orders and Procedures for the new Force, which became Strathclyde Police, the largest provincial Force in the United Kingdom, in May 1975. He was then transferred to Police Headquarters to become Chief Superintendent (Operations).

Alex was appointed an Assistant Chief Constable in 1976 and the following year became Deputy Chief Constable of Strathclyde and second in command of Strathclyde Police, with some 10,000 people under his command, a position he held until his retiral in 1985.

Over his career, Alex gained a number of Honours. In 1976, he was presented with the Police Long Service and Good Conduct Medal. In 1977, he received the Queen’s Silver Jubilee Medal. In the 1980 Queen’s Birthday Honours List he was awarded the Queen’s Police Medal for Distinguished Police Service and in the 1983 Queen’s New Year Honours List he was appointed an Officer of the Order of the British Empire. In the summer of 1982, Alex had overall responsibility for security, during the visit of Pope John Paul II and was presented by the Pope, with a gold medal, one of only two so awarded.

Alex was a member and Elder of Netherlee Church for many years, at different times was a member of the Congregational Board, Editor of the church magazine and, for five years, was Session Clerk. On the approach of the 75th Anniversary of Netherlee Church, he proposed that a substantial fundraising effort be started for St Andrew’s Scots Kirk in Sri Lanka, to go towards financing an extension to a Women’s Hospital there. Alex chaired a group to make the necessary arrangements, various functions and events were arranged and over £50,000 was raised for that purpose.

On the sporting front, his interests were wide and varied. A keen golfer, he was a member of The Williamwood Golf Club, for over 30 years, was Captain in 1987 and was again invited to be Captain for the Club’s Centenary Year, in 2006. To mark the occasion, Alex wrote a most informative published book – ‘The First Hundred Years’. The following year he was created an Honorary Member of the Club. He was also an enthusiastic curler and played for Lynn and Clarkston Curling Club. A keen trout fisherman, Alex was also a member of the Brotherloch Angling Syndicate.

Alex died peacefully, at home, and is survived by his wife Carine, their four children and seven grandchildren.