Scotsman Obituaries: Louis Soeder, assistant chief constable of Grampian Police

Louis Soeder pioneered the use of computers in police work throughout the UK

No stranger to knuckling down to the hard graft required on their Aberdeenshire farm, Louis was effectively the head of the family from the age of 14, as his father’s business interests often took him away from home.

But when the Soeders moved back to Edinburgh the strong-minded youngster stayed behind in the North-east, embarking on what proved to be a somewhat circuitous but hugely successful career path that saw Louis become assistant chief constable of Grampian Police and play a key role in two of Scotland’s most significant cases – the notorious Garvie Trial and the Piper Alpha disaster.

Along the way he obtained two degrees and took the force into the computer age.

Born in Edinburgh to designer and decorator Louis Soeder and his wife Alexandria, he was the eldest of their five children and spent his early life in Corstorphine and Peebles.

Educated at Melville College, Louis was a young teenager when the family moved to Auchenhove Farm near the Aberdeenshire village of Lumphanan, where he attended the local school and then Robert Gordon’s College in Aberdeen.

With his father still having business interests in Edinburgh, in his absence the youngster had to work on the farm and leave school at 15.

Louis took on a variety of jobs, including driving a digger machine and helping with the demolition of what was once one of the grandest mansions on Deeside, Torphins’ historic Craigmyle House.

By the early 1960s Louis had moved to Ayrshire, where he worked as an agricultural salesman and played with Ayr Rugby Club.

He had also met his future wife and, seeking a more secure job, he opted for the police, joining Scottish North Eastern Counties Constabulary in 1963.

After starting at Divisional HQ in Elgin, Louis was posted to Buckie for three years.

During that time he studied for his university entrance qualifications at evening classes, becoming one of the force’s first serving officers to go to university while working his day job.

Made a detective constable In January 1967, Louis transferred to CID at Bucksburn HQ in Aberdeen.

The following year, while still in his twenties, he was an arresting officer in one of the most sensational murder cases.

The wealthy farmer and private pilot Max Garvie was reported missing from his home at West Cairnbeg in Kincardineshire in May that year.

Three months later Garvie’s body was found in a culvert and his wife Sheila, her lover Brian Tevendale and a third suspect, Alan Peters, were arrested.

Garvie, who indulged in drink, drugs, nudism and orgies and had been having an affair with a policeman’s wife, had been shot in his bed.

The scandalous case drew huge queues to get into the public gallery when the accused went on trial at the High Court in Aberdeen that November. Sheila Garvie and Tevendale were found guilty of murder and jailed for life. The case against Peters was found not proven.

Soeder was a witness but steadfastly refused to discuss the sordid case when he was approached latterly by television and podcast producers.

Over the next few years he rose through the ranks while graduating both MA and LLB from Aberdeen University and completed a War Duties Course in North Yorkshire.

When Grampian Police was created in 1975 Louis moved to HQ Admin in Aberdeen as chief inspector, followed by further promotion to superintendent in 1979 and two years in the Police Research Services Unit at the Home Office.

There he researched the introduction of computers to police forces throughout the UK, travelling to England, Wales and to Northern Ireland during The Troubles.

Returning to Aberdeen in 1981, Louis became deputy commander of C Division before taking charge of headquarters’ new Computer Development Section which developed the Computer Assisted Policing System, known as CAPS, and replaced paper for recording incidents and allocating resources.

He went on to serve as commander of D, B and C Divisions and was elected assistant secretary of the Association of Scottish Police Superintendents in January 1988.

Six months later the world’s worst oil disaster unfolded when the Piper Alpha platform was destroyed in a series of explosions with the loss of 167 lives. Louis led the team identifying victims.

Promoted to assistant chief constable the following year, he remained in the role until retiring through ill health in 1992.

Although Louis acknowledged some experiences in his police career were grim, he consciously strived to separate work from his private life, enjoying his free time with family and pursuing numerous interests, including shooting and fishing – something he had enjoyed on the Spey during his time in Buckie.

He and his wife Iris also took many trips abroad, including visiting China, Canada, Alaska, Morocco and South Africa.

Louis Soeder is survived by Iris, whom he married in 1965, their sons David and Graeme, daughter Louise and four grandchildren.

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