The new chief constable was born and raised in Glasgow

Stephen House, 49, will replace the present Chief Constable Sir Willie Rae at the end of the year.

The Glasgow-born officer is currently an assistant commissioner with the Metropolitan Police in London and has also served with other English forces.

Sir Willie is retiring after more than six years at the helm of the Strathclyde force.

Mr House will have control of an annual budget of about �550m as well as the force's 7,500 police officers and 3,000 civilian staff who serve the area's 2.3 million people.

Stephen impressed the panel consistently during his interview Councillor Paul Rooney Strathclyde Joint Police Board

He said: "I am extremely proud to be offered the job of leading Strathclyde Police. I am delighted to accept the invitation.

"I look forward to taking up my new responsibility and working with new colleagues and partners."

Councillor Paul Rooney, convener of Strathclyde Joint Police Board, said Mr House had been appointed from a shortlist of four candidates after a "rigorous" selection process.

He said: "Stephen impressed the panel consistently during his interview, and brought some really fresh and progressive ideas for the future of Strathclyde Police.

"Sir Willie Rae has done a tremendous job in leading the force over the last six years.

Operational roles

"We look forward to working with Stephen to build on that success and ensure the service Strathclyde Police provides is up to the challenges of the next five years."

The new chief constable was born in Glasgow and grew up there until the age of 12 when his family moved to London. He returned to Scotland to go to university in Aberdeen.

He joined Sussex Police in 1981 and has mainly served in uniform and operational roles with Sussex, Northamptonshire and West Yorkshire Police.

Mr House was appointed as an assistant commissioner by the Metropolitan Police in 2001.

He is currently assistant commissioner for specialist crime, with responsibility for areas including homicide, child abuse, the Flying Squad, undercover policing and gun crime.