Janet Gray, was born in Govan, Glasgow, in 1905 and educated in Dunoon, Argyll, and later Glasgow University.
She joined the Gloucestershire Constabulary on 12 December 1927 and on 30 October 1931 transferred to the City of Glasgow Police. She was stationed in ‘F’ (Maryhill) Division.
In 1940, she was transferred to ‘H’ (Headquarters) Division where she remained for the rest of her service. In 1941, she was promoted to Policewoman Sergeant and in 1947 she was awarded the British Empire Medal for Distinguished Service.
In 1949 she was promoted to Policewoman Inspector and in 1953, she was promoted to Chief Inspector, in charge of the Policewomen’s Department, the first woman to hold the rank in the history of Glasgow Police.
In 1959, Miss Gray was promoted to the rank of Superintendent, again the first to hold the rank in the Glasgow Police, and in 1961 retired from the City of Glasgow Police and was appointed Scotland’s first Assistant Inspector of Constabulary for Scotland.
In 1968, she was made a Member of the Order of the British Empire (M.B.E.).