Introducing - Chris Sewell
Police Scotland
Police Scotland was established in 2013 and is responsible for policing across the whole of Scotland. It is the second largest force in the UK with 22,000 officers and staff working together for the people of Scotland. Shetland is one of six area commands in the Highlands and Islands division. Shetland’s Local Policing Plan 2023-2026 highlights road safety and tackling drug misuse as the top two priorities from responses to their research. The plan also underlines that while Shetland remains one of the safest areas in the UK in terms of overall levels of crime, it faces a unique set of challenges in meeting expectations of communities. Responding to issues can only be done through a focus on effective partnership working including not only their statutory partners but also a variety of organisations and the community they serve. Find out more about Police Scotland on their website.
Chris Sewell, Chief Inspector and Area Commander for Shetland
Chris has been Chief Inspector and Area Commander for Shetland since September 2024. He leads on local policing, focusing on community safety, crime prevention and partnership working. Chris’ background is in operational policing, resource planning and policy development within Police Scotland.
Chris feels that the Shetland Partnership has been incredibly successful to date. He would like to see a continued reduction in harm through collaboration, early intervention and prevention. Chris believes that the partnership best serves the community by strengthening collaboration between agencies, ensuring efficient resource-sharing and focusing on early intervention and prevention. Additionally, he highlights that it has enabled a joined-up approach to tackling complex issues such as drug misuse, domestic abuse and mental health crimes.