John was until February 2013 a Detective Chief Superintendent with Strathclyde Police. He was a police officer for almost 39 years working mostly as a Detective. He was involved in various roles in the investigation of serious crime and in particular as senior investigating officer in murder inquiries. He was deputy head of the Criminal Investigation Department. He was a Licensed Hostage Negotiator and was responsible within the force for all matters relating to abduction.
In 1997 he spent time as a police advisor to the Governor of the Turks and Caicos Islands in the West Indies.
In January 2005, together with a colleague, John established the Violence Reduction Unit with the aim of developing a strategy that would bring about sustainable reductions in violence within Strathclyde. In April 2006 the VRU assumed a Scotland wide role and was supported by the Scottish Government. Their fundamental tenet is that “violence is preventable – not inevitable”. This model has now been replicated in several cities and areas of England and Wales, including London, Birmingham and Manchester.
He was awarded the Queen’s Police Medal in 2007 for distinguished police service.
In 2010 John was made a Fellow by Distinction of the Faculty of Public Health.
In 2013 John was made an Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) in the Queen’s Birthday Honours for services to community safety.