Tributes pour in for police officer who died while on duty

PEOPLE: PC Roy Buggins had 29 years of service in the Angus area

Emotional tributes are being paid to an Angus police officer following his tragic death while on duty in a local town.

PC Roy Buggins had 29 years of service and was a highly-valued and well-respected member of the Montrose and Brechin community policing team.

He died while attending an incident in Montrose on Tuesday. It is understood he may have suffered a medical episode.

Mr Buggins was formally named by Police Scotland yesterday and was described as “a highly valued and wellrespected member of the Montrose and Brechin community policing team”.

He joined Tayside Police Division, then known by Tayside Police, in 1990 and was first stationed in Forfar before spells in Friockheim, Carnoustie and Arbroath. He spent his entire career in the Angus area.

Together with fellow officer PC Ally Hutchison he became a well-known face in Montrose and Brechin, and regularly carried out visits to schools, retirement homes, coffee with a cop meetings and other events.

Mr Buggins is survived by his wife and two children.

A police statement said they are “absolutely devastated” by his loss.

It adds: “Our thoughts are with his friends and family, who have asked for their privacy to be respected at this difficult time”.

Mr Buggins was also remembered at the annual Scottish Police Memorial ceremony yesterday by Scotland’s Chief Constable Iain Livingstone.

In the grounds of the Scottish Police College at Tulliallan, Mr Livingstone said: “He was a very experienced officer who worked throughout the Tayside area, most latterly in community policing, and was held in high regard by his colleagues and indeed the local community.

“I know at this particularly sad time you will join me in sending the condolences of all of us here and indeed the entire policing community.”

David Hamilton, vice-chairman of the Scottish Police Federation, also paid tribute.

He said: “So very sad to lose another good colleague today. A fine officer who will be very much in my thoughts at tomorrow’s Scottish Police Memorial Service.”

“He was a very experienced officer... held in high regard by his colleagues and indeed the local community. SCOTLAND’S CHIEF CONSTABLE IAIN LIVINGSTONE

Picture: Police Scotland/PA. PC Roy Buggins was described as highly valued and well respected.