Who we are
Alan Gibson
GCG Consortium · Member record
United Kingdom
Tab 01 · Profile
Profile
Former senior Police Commander who led the Police Scotland learning and development function for 23,000 officers and staff, served as Local Policing Commander for Forth Valley Division, and had overall command of the armed operation at the COP26 Climate Conference attended by 120 world leaders. He served more than 31 years in policing and public safety. Board of Governor — including a term as Chair — of the international Leadership in Counter Terrorism programme.
As Police Scotland's Head of Learning, Training and Development, Alan established a full review, training-needs analysis and redesign of initial police officer training, delivered the first non-residential initial training programme, and secured £3 million of inward investment to improve the fabric and future of the Scottish Police College. He oversaw the design, launch and evaluation of new learning products — including body-worn video, Operational Safety Training and anti-racist training — and in 2024 was personally recognised by the Director of the FBI for "exceptional commitment and superior collaborative efforts in the international law enforcement training community".
Alan is a Distinguished Advisory Board member of the University of Virginia's Center for Public Safety and Justice, and served from 2014 to 2025 as a Board of Governor of the Leadership in Counter Terrorism programme — a partnership between the FBI, Police Scotland, the Police Service of Northern Ireland, the Royal Canadian Mounted Police, United Kingdom CT policing and the Australian Federal Police — including a term as Chair. He is a graduate of the FBI's National Executive Institute (2024) and the Senior Management Institute for Police, Boston University (2016), and holds a Bachelor of Arts in Operations Management (2008) and a Diploma of Higher Education in Training and Development (2006) from Edinburgh Napier University.
Tab 02 · Areas of expertise
Areas of expertise
- Leadership learning & development Strategic lead for learning, training and development across Police Scotland — a team of over 300, a £12 million budget and continuous improvement of the 1,000+ training programmes provided to 23,000 officers and staff, with oversight of Police Scotland's International Academy.
- Strategic firearms command Strategic Firearms Commander for Royal, Presidential and VIP movements, with overall command of the armed operation at the COP26 climate conference venue in 2021, attended by 120 world leaders.
- Operational policing command Local Policing Commander for Forth Valley Division — over 600 officers, staff and volunteers policing 300,000 citizens across 3,000 square kilometres — leading the division through the operational challenges of the Covid pandemic.
- International policing collaboration Led and nurtured multiple international learning and development collaborations, including with the FBI, and collaborated with United States policing agencies to create a de-escalation programme for use of force that continues to be rolled out across the USA.
- Governance, audit & assurance Chaired Police Scotland's multi-agency Quality Assurance Committee for all learning and development, and led an independent review of the PSNI training function amidst intense public and political scrutiny.
Tab 03 · Service record
Service record
- 2023 – present Distinguished Advisory Board member, University of Virginia's Center for Public Safety and Justice Working to advance policing through education, research, networking and innovation.
- 2023 – 2025 Chief Superintendent — Head of Learning, Training & Development, Police Scotland Strategic lead for learning, training and development: a high-performing team of over 300 officers and staff, a £12 million budget, continuous improvement of 1,000+ training programmes for 23,000 officers and staff, oversight of Police Scotland's International Academy, and chair of the multi-agency Quality Assurance Committee.
- 2019 – 2023 Chief Superintendent — Local Police Commander, Forth Valley Division, Police Scotland Responsible for the policing operation for 300,000 citizens across an urban and rural setting of 3,000 square kilometres, leading over 600 officers, staff and volunteers through the operational challenges of the Covid pandemic, reducing reported crime and representing Police Scotland as strategic lead on the national group for Visitor Management.
- 2014 – 2025 Board of Governor, Leadership in Counter Terrorism programme Enhancing the capabilities of those exercising leadership in the counter-terrorism environment, through a partnership between the FBI, Police Scotland, the Police Service of Northern Ireland, the Royal Canadian Mounted Police, United Kingdom CT policing and the Australian Federal Police — including a term as Chair.
- Earlier career Policing service to the rank of Chief Superintendent Over 31 years of policing and public safety experience spanning operational policing, strategic firearms command and multi-agency operations, with the continual development of effective practice and shared learning nationally and internationally.
Tab 04 · Consortium delivery