Groundbreaking career provides inspiration for new female police recruits
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VARIETY is the spice of life, as the saying goes, and for Insp Lorraine Mackie her career in the police has proved the truth in it.
With 21 years of service under belt after joining the force back in 2001, she is almost a year into her role in charge of Road Policing for what was the former Grampian Police area, the first woman to hold the post.
Based in Inverurie, Insp Mackie is in charge of a team of 51 officers, all tasked with helping keep people safe on north-east roads.
It’s a role which offers many challenges but also great rewards.
She said: “One of Road Policing’s main priorities is to effectively patrol northeast roads , detect and deter all road criminality and influence driver behaviour in order to reduce road casualties.
“We monitor road statistics for all serious crashes and road deaths to direct where we patrol in an effort to be in the right place at the right time.
“Also, we work to influence driver and road user behaviour in a number of ways such as random checks, both on the open road and in local communities, and hi-vis patrols. There are also national road safety campaigns which we integrate into our local policing.
"We focus on priorities of vulnerable road users, for example, motorcyclists, pedestrians/cyclists, younger drivers and older drivers and focus awareness raising, patrols and enforcement in order to reduce their vulnerability on the roads.
“The competing demands placed on Road Policing due to drivers and road users continuing to flout the law and that is always a challenge. All communities are passionate about road crime and how it affects the local areas. We try to focus on all areas where road safety is a concern, however, finite resources mean it is vital we focus on having them in the right place at the right time.
“One of the biggest personal challenges was coming into Road Policing with a background in CID. However, I have experience in other areas and I have had excellent support from my specialist team who are all so passionate about the job they do.
“I’ve found that in Road Policing there’s a lot of positivity and encouragement from the public that you don’t see much of in other areas of policing. Perhaps that is down to the tragedies we deal with on the roads and the proactive work we do. We get lots of positive engagement and letters thanking officers which is very motivational, it really makes you feel like you’re making a difference.”
A career in the police was something which took centre stage from an early age for Insp Mackie.
“I was aged 10 when I decided I wanted to join the police,” she continued.
“I’ve always seen it as an exciting career and not just a job.
“You can make a real difference to your community. I’m from the Inverurie area originally and attended Inverurie Academy but I have also worked in the northeast throughout my police service so I have good local knowledge of north-east communities.
“It’s a very varied job with no two days ever the same. I’d always wanted to be part of an emergency service and the police service offered the most variety for me.”
Insp Mackie has a family connection with the force, her aunt spending a short time with the former Lothian and Borders Police. However, those were very different times for female officers, who had to resign when they got married. Insp Mackie also recounted that when she joined the police she and other female officers were presented with what must have been a less than practical uniform, featuring a skirt, tights and handbag.
She started off her career in North Aberdeen City for four years before spending a further two years with the General Enquiry Department looking into unexplained sudden deaths and other matters. A move to CID beckoned, first of all in Aberdeen City and then, after the birth of her daughter, working part-time within CID in Aberdeenshire.
As a temporary Sergeant Insp Mackie went to Ellon then as a Sergeant to Turriff before moving on, as a Detective Sergeant, to the Public Protection Unit in Aberdeen. This specialist department is responsible for the management and investigation of serious sexual crime, child protection matters and domestic abuse.
Promotion to the rank of Inspector in 2019 witnessed a move to the Partnership Co-ordination Unit.
Insp Mackie said: “Whilst I enjoyed this partnerships role I missed operational policing therefore when I saw a job in Road Policing advertised I knew I really wanted it.
“I have always enjoyed dealing with road traffic matters and felt it would be a very interesting job I would enjoy.
“Road safety is important to me and such a key area of policing, that’s important to all communities and everyone is really passionate about it. It’s an area where you can make a real difference.”
Currently around a third of Police Scotland officers are female, and Insp Mackie was keen to encourage more women to seriously contemplate what a career with the force has to offer.
“I’ve been in the police for 21 years and experienced many enquiries, heart warming and heart breaking at times.
“I also spent 10 years working part-time to allow flexibility with my young children.
“The opportunities for flexible working in the police are excellent. Thanks to flexible working I’ve had the chance to maintain and progress in a role I love. The opportunities are there in the police for anyone who is prepared to work hard.”
To find out more about a career with Police Scotland, visit their website at https://www.scotland.police.uk which includes information on the role of Special Constables.
