The Association of Chief Police Officers in Scotland (ACPOS) was the professional voice of police leadership (Chief Constables, Deputy Chief Constables and Assistant Chief Constables) in Scotland, including the Assistant Chief Constable in the British Transport Police responsible for Scotland. Some superintendents and senior support staff were also involved in its business. Along with all eight Scottish regional police forces and the Scottish Crime and Drug Enforcement Agency, ACPOS was merged into Police Scotland and ceased to operate on April 1, 2013.
Formerly a staff association, in 2006 it was incorporated as a private company limited by guarantee and gained charitable status in 2009. ACPOS evolved to be the strategic body which oversaw and co-ordinated all aspects of the direction and development of policing in Scotland. It commented upon police reform, published policies, campaigned on issues of importance, and worked in partnership with central and local government to set strategic objectives and deliver better integrated services for Scotland's communities.
Scottish Constabulary crest
The Scottish Constabulary crest was designed by Mr Cairns, Art Master at Dumfries Academy in the early 1930s to be a badge to be identifiable with the police in Scotland, at the request of the Chief Constables' (Scotland) Club (a predecessor of ACPOS). At the time, many police forces around Scotland were amalgamating, and more were expected to in the future. A standard design of cap badge could be adopted by forces around Scotland, so new badges would not need to be purchased when two forces merged. Each force then generally had its own distinctive cap badge, usually featuring the coat of arms of the City, Burgh or County which it covered.
The design comprises a Scottish thistle in a wreath of thistle leaves, all on a scroll tablet with the Latin motto: Semper Vigilo (Always Watching), and surmounted by a royal crown. The design originally featured a Tudor Crown, but was not universally adopted until the Scottish police were reorganised in 1975, when a Scottish Crown was used instead.
The badge is today worn by all officers of Police Scotland; in metal for constables and sergeants, and embroidered for the rank of inspector and above. UK-wide police forces operating in Scotland, such as British Transport Police, MOD Police and the Civil Nuclear Constabulary, wear their own force badge.