Police Archives

 

The archives of police forces in Glasgow and the West of Scotland from 1825 to the present day
 

Archives and Special Collections hold the records of police forces in Strathclyde.  These include the records of Glasgow Police, established in 1800 and almost certainly the oldest police force in the world, and of the current Strathclyde Police.  

 

As well as administrative records, the collection includes personnel records of policemen in these areas in the west of Scotland from the 1820s to 1985:

 

 

 

 

  • Glasgow - records of Glasgow Police (1825-1975), and for the police forces of the annexed burghs of Govan (c.1872-1912); Kinning Park (1866-1905); Partick (1863-1912)
  • Dunbartonshire - records of the County Police (1869-1974)
  • Lanarkshire - records of the County Police (1945-1972); Airdrie (1889-1956); Hamilton (1887-1958)
  • Renfrewshire  - records of the County Police, later Renfrew and Bute (1858-c1974); Johnstone (1876-1930); Paisley (1883-1947); Port Glasgow (1871-1891); and Renfrew (1926-1930)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 Formal group photograph of policemen, early 20th century (reference code: C0433)

Formal group photograph of policemen, early 20th century (reference code: C0433)

 

Police notice requesting information about a murder, early 20th century

Notice requesting information on a murder that occured in the West End of Glasgow, early 20th century (reference code: Sr22/62/6)

 

 

The registers vary in amount of biographical detail but may include:

  • name
  • age
  • place of birth
  • date of appointment
  • marital status and issue
  • height
  • addresses
  • career progression, if any 


 

Restrictions on Access

As records include personal details about individual policemen and may record notes on disciplinary action, access is closed for 75 years under the Data Protection Act.  If you wish to request access to later records, please contact us for advice.