Former police officer hailed for helping others
Awards ceremony honours Alistair for ‘doing his utmost’
East Lothian Courier28 Nov 2024By Avril Campbell acampbell@eastlothiancourier.com
The late Alistair Shields has been hailed by police colleagues
AN UNSUNG hero from Musselburgh has been hailed by colleagues for his commitment to policing.
Alistair Shields, a “much-missed” special constable who gave 45 years to policing, sadly passed away earlier this year following an illness. He was 66.
His service was recognised at the Scottish Police Federation’s annual awards at Dynamic Earth in Edinburgh.
Mr Shields, formerly of Haddington and well known in the East Lothian swimming community, followed up 30 years in the police force by volunteering as a special constable for a further 15 years.
He worked in East Lothian and in Edinburgh, and had a particular speciality in refining techniques relating to airport-style bag and body searches.
He designed the search regime which is still in practice at the Scottish Parliament and even visited the USA to provide input for the Secret Service.
His generosity of spirit and relentless enthusiasm was inspiring.
His dedication to the “search community” continued over the years, imparting training and advice to younger officers.
In 1993, he was commended for tackling a man armed with a crossbow, and later for his work to trace
missing people suffering from dementia.
Away from policing, he was an “integral part” of Scottish and UK swimming, where he served as a referee and trainer for technical officials.
PS David Cuthbert, who nominated him, said: “After 30 years of service, Alistair decided he still wanted to give more as a special constable for nearly 15 more years.
“His generosity of spirit and relentless enthusiasm was inspiring, yet he remained humble and
grounded, happy knowing he was doing his utmost to help others.”
At the awards ceremony, police officers in Edinburgh and the Lothians were recognised for their lifesaving acts of bravery and commitment to their communities.
Following Mr Shields’ death in July, East Lothian Swim Team – made up of the most talented young athletes from Haddington, Musselburgh and Tranent swim clubs – paid tribute to Mr Shields. A statement said: “Alistair’s impact on swimmers, volunteers and the sport of swimming as a whole can’t be measured.
“We are thankful for all he gave to our county and to the wider swimming community.”