ACC John Corrigan has 30 years service with the police

Assistant Chief Constable John Corrigan, of Strathclyde police, has been performing the duties for a while.

Mr Corrigan has been working with the Metropolitan Police on a review of national security since the London bombings on 7 July last year.

The post is the first of its kind in Scotland.

It is co-funded by the Scottish Executive and the Strathclyde Joint Police Board.

He has taken up the role on behalf of the Association of Chief Police Officers in Scotland (Acpos).

Constant review

Police chiefs said the post provides a focus for a range of counter terrorism activities in Scotland.

ACC Corrigan, who has 30 years' service, said: "With national security being reserved to Westminster but policing of Scotland being devolved to Holyrood, it is important that counter terrorism policing understands Scotland.

"A large part of my role is to influence decisions at all levels to ensure Scotland is at least as secure from terrorism as any part of the United Kingdom.

"Acpos works closely with a range of Scottish, UK and international partners to achieve this position."

Chief Constable Peter Wilson, Acpos president, added: "The mechanisms and processes used by police forces across the UK to counter terrorism are understandably kept under constant review."