Policing in CUlter
The Inspector
AS OF 1 April 2004, Aberdeen Division of Grampian Police aligned itself to the Aberdeen City Council administrative boundaries with the aim of enhancing partnership working not only with Aberdeen City Council but also with a range of other agencies providing a service to the public.
Aberdeen Division now comprises of three Neighbourhood areas. Each Neighbourhood area has been allocated a number of staff and, in particular, two Police Inspectors have been appointed to retain ownership and responsibility for Neighbourhood Policing in each of the North, Central and South areas. I have been appointed as the Inspector having direct policing responsibility for the section of the South area, which includes Culter, Milltimber, Bieldside, Cults, Mannofield, Hazlehead, Ferryhill and Garthdee.
My name is Grant Bowman and I was born and brought up in the North East, joining Grampian Police in 1980. I have served as a Constable at Elgin, Turriff, Bucksburn, Tillydrone and Cairncry as well as five years in the Traffic Department.
In 1991, I was promoted to Sergeant at Buckie, thereafter serving at Elgin, as a custody sergeant at Queen Street and at Fonthill, Aberdeen. In March 2000, I was promoted to Inspector, working in the Force's Strategic Development Department for three years before moving to Aberdeen Division and covering the whole of the south side of the city. I am married with three children and live in Aberdeen.
The appointment of Inspectors, such as myself, with responsibility for Neighbourhood Policing and partnership working, will lead hopefully to an opportunity to achieve greater awareness of the policing needs of the community and to build on partnership working with other agencies in Culter.
I have had numerous contacts with Catherine Dove, your local Neighbourhood Community Planning Officer and indeed I will be attending the Culter Planning for Real Day on 2 October 2004.
Alongside the Neighbourhood Inspector are a number of Neighbourhood Sergeants and, in addition, a Neighbourhood Beat Officer has been appointed to each of the 37 Neighbourhood areas across Aberdeen. You may be aware already that PC Graeme Stewart is the Culter Neighbourhood Beat Officer, whilst PC Alasdair MacHardy is also based at Culter but has responsibility for Milltimber, Bieldside and Cults. He has just returned from light duties having been subject of an illness. Sergeant Moyra Clark is the Neighbourhood Sergeant, covering all the neighbourhoods under my responsibility.
Working alongside the Neighbourhood Officers are five teams of Response Officers, each led by an Inspector. The purpose of these teams of Officers is to deal with urgent, ongoing incidents which require an immediate response across Aberdeen rather than the community issues.
They are based, in the main, at Culter, Nigg, Queen Street, Mastrick and Bucksburn although they cover the whole of Aberdeen depending upon demand.
With my appointment, I hope that the Culter community will have a greater voice within the management of Aberdeen Division and therefore in the policing of the area. I will be using my twenty-five years experience with the Force to as much advantage as possible.
If you have any issues which you would like to bring to my attention, please
• e-mail me at Grant.BowmanQgrampian.pnn.police.uk,
• contact me through our Service Centre telephone number 0845 600 5 700
• write to me at Grampian Police Headquarters, Queen Street, Aberdeen AB10 1ZA.
Grant Bowman Police Inspector