Police Scotland Chief Constable Sir Iain Livingstone has announced he is stepping down after nearly six years in the top job.

Sir Iain told a meeting of the Scottish Police Authority on Thursday: “I have decided to retire from the office of chief constable later this year. I will retire from policing in the summer.”

The 56-year-old became interim chief of the force in 2017, and he was then put in charge on a permanent basis in 2018.

Sir Iain, who has 31 years of service in the police, was knighted earlier this year. In 2021, his term was extended to August 2025.

Announcing his resignation, he told the meeting that policing is relentless, and added: “I consider the stability which now exists will endure through and also enable a managed transition to a new chief constable over the coming months.

“I will work relentlessly to ensure this occurs.

“We now have a full leadership team with the experience and capability to continue the progress made and can take confidence from the exceptional role Police Scotland played through Covid, COP26 and the events following the death of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth."

Sir Iain’s retirement announcement came as he and Lynn Brown, chief executive of the SPA, presented a paper to the meeting which warns policing north of the border is “unsustainable”.

The paper said: “Police Scotland has often absorbed the impact of wider public sector financial challenges and is taking responsibility in situations where the police service is not the most appropriate service to respond.”

“This position is unsustainable in the long-term and detracts from the ability to intervene effectively at the critical end of risk and harm.”

In the chief constable’s report to the committee, Sir Iain warned there is “unprecedented financial pressures upon the public sector” and that “hard choices lie ahead to deliver effective policing within the revenue budget”.

Joining Lothian and Borders Police in 1992, Sir Iain served in detective and uniform roles in Edinburgh and West Lothian, leading a number of major investigations and operations. As Detective Superintendent, he played a key role in the security operation around the G8 meeting in 2005 and headed the murder investigation into the double shooting at the Marmion Bar in Edinburgh. Following promotion to Detective Chief Superintendent, he commanded the force’s Criminal Investigation Department and undertook an external attachment as a senior investigator to the Police Ombudsman for Northern Ireland.

After completing the Strategic Command Course, Sir Iain was appointed Assistant Chief Constable for Lothian and Borders Police in April 2009, with responsibility for Crime and Operations. As ACC, he was Gold commander for many significant events including the visit to Edinburgh of Pope Benedict XVI in 2010.

During work in 2012 to form Police Scotland, Sir Iain was appointed Deputy Chief Constable Crime and Operational Support. In this role, he created national specialist capabilities and oversaw the move to the multi-agency Scottish Crime Campus at Gartcosh.

Sir Iain was appointed Chief Constable in August 2018, having served as Interim Chief from September 2017.

He continues to advise on the Operation Kenova investigation into matters during The Troubles in Northern Ireland.