Biography.guide
Home › People › Police officer › John Orr
Portrait of John Orr

John Orr

1945 – 2018

Scottish police officer

Don't just read it — keep itBiographies to ownE-book · Audio · Video From $7 →

About John Orr

Lived 1945 – 2018 (aged 72). John Orr was a British police officer.

Sir John Orr (3 September 1945 – 19 February 2018) was a senior police officer and the Chief Constable of Strathclyde Police between 1996 and 2001.

Early life and education Orr was born in Kilmarnock in Ayrshire. He graduated from Open University, and also received a Diploma in Forensic Medicine from the University of Glasgow.

Police career John Orr first joined the police as a cadet in 1961 at Renfrew and Bute Constabulary. As Detective Chief Superintendent of Strathclyde Police, he was appointed Senior Investigating Officer of the Lockerbie disaster which occurred on 21 December 1988. This was the biggest single murder investigation in the history of Scottish policing.

In 2001, Orr was knighted by the Queen for his services to Scottish policing.

In 2005 Sir John reported on his "Review of Marches and Parades in Scotland" which was to be formalised through the Scottish Parliament to provide a framework for legal protocols of marches and parades within Scotland.

John Orr died on 19 February 2018.

Portrayal in popular culture Orr appears as a central character in the British television drama series The Bombing of Pan Am 103. He is played by Peter Mullan.

Biography shop

Don’t just read it —
keep it.

Full-length biographies made to live with: read them, listen on the way to work, watch them tonight.

  • E-book
  • Audio
  • Video
Browse the shop — from $7

Instant download · yours to keep · every purchase keeps this site free

Important facts

Birth century
Occupation
Nationality
Education
The Open University, University of Glasgow
Employers
Strathclyde Police, Dumfries and Galloway Constabulary
Awards
Knight Bachelor; King's Police Medal; Officer of the Order of the British Empire
Also known as
Sir John Orr

People in John Orr's life

Named in this biography and alive at the same time

Contemporaries

People whose lives overlapped John Orr's

Frequently asked questions

Who was John Orr?

Scottish police officer

When was John Orr born?

John Orr was born on 3 September 1945 in Kilmarnock.

When did John Orr die?

John Orr died on 19 February 2018.

What was John Orr's occupation?

John Orr was a police officer.

What nationality was John Orr?

John Orr was British.

Sources & further reading

· Wikipedia: John Orr

· Wikidata: Q6251324

· DBpedia: John Orr (police officer, born 1945)

Cite this page

APA: Biography.guide. (2026). John Orr. https://biography.guide/john-orr-police-officer/

MLA: "John Orr." Biography.guide, https://biography.guide/john-orr-police-officer/.

Chicago: "John Orr." Biography.guide. https://biography.guide/john-orr-police-officer/.

Data last updated: 2026-09-20 · Spot an error? Report a correction.

Page generated 2026-09-27 05:32 UTC