Scotland's longest-serving police officer hands back his warrant card after 54 years

A farmer and Highland Pony breeder who signed-up as a Special Constable the year England won the World Cup has done his last shift after more than half a century of service.

Hugh Duncan split his time between Craignetherty Farm, at Netherdale, near Turriff, for decades of service to his local community and beyond.

His dedication to duty saw him awarded the highest accolade for any officer, the Queen’s Police Medal, in 2012.

He first signed-up with the former Aberdeen City Police and has juggled his full-time job as a farmer ever since.

Special Constable Hugh Duncan who served for 54 years. Pic: Facebook

Despite his years of service, he insisted: “I don’t believe it. It doesn’t seem that long.

“I’ve enjoyed every time I’ve been out with the police. I’ve never had a wrong night”.

SC Duncan joined Aberdeen City Police before he transferred to Aberdeen County and was stationed in the Turriff area.

Turning 76 and now officially retired, SC Duncan says he signed up for police duties because he had “free nights”.

“We used to have to go out on duty on a Thursday night because that was pay day in Aberdeen for a lot of people.

“We paraded up and down Union Street to keep the peace.

“I don’t think public behaviour is any worse now than it was then,” he said, laughing.

The community stalwart was affectionately known throughout his former beat as ‘Grandad’.

He was awarded the Queen’s Police Medal for distinguished service in the 2012 New Year’s honours list.

And in 2019 he was presented a Police Scotland long-service award by assistant chief constable John Hawkins.

He added: “When I joined, I was more or less there as backup or as a witness, but now we’re participating in some of the things that are happening.

“Nowadays, the specials are left to do the job, quite often on their own.

“Armistice parades, bonfire nights – we can come across anything, like road accidents and we have to deal with them.”

The farmer has urged others to follow in his footsteps and sign up to become an unpaid, part-time police officer in their free time.

He insists that with the same training as regular police officers, “there are no barriers to what specials are used for”.

“I’ve seen quite a few fires, road accidents and suicides during my years of service,” he said.

“I was quite often called to domestics. Over the years, I’ve had to attend a few of them.”

To mark his retirement, he was hosted by senior officers at Tulliallan Police College for a special ceremony celebrating 54 years of voluntary service.

SC Duncan said responding on “blues and twos” – with siren blaring and lights flashing – was “quite exciting”.

Speaking about handling heated situations, he added: “Some members of the public treat the police well enough, but others, you get the same abuse as you used to get from similar types. You just have to ignore it.”

To mark his retirement and all his achievements, retired SC Duncan and his daughter Gayle Reid were invited to an award presentation at Tulliallan Police College.

Chief Constable Iain Livingstone said: “To have served our police force for more than half a century speaks volumes about Hugh’s character and dedication."

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