Chris Todd named as PCC pick for chief constable

ENDORSEMENT: Assistant Chief Constable Chris Todd

By Simon Bristow, Co-Editor

A senior officer at the Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI) has been named as the preferred candidate to become the next chief constable of Humberside Police.

Chris Todd, Assistant Chief Constable at the PSNI, was today named as the preferred candidate by Humberside Police and Crime Commissioner Jonathan Evison.

The Humberside force has been led by Temporary Chief Constable Judi Heaton QPM since July 1 last year, following the sudden retirement of former chef constable Paul Anderson on June 25, less than a year after taking command.

It later emerged Mr Anderson was being investigated by the Independent Office of Police Conduct (IOPC) over allegations of misconduct. The investigation is ongoing.

It was initially said Ms Heaton, a former police officer who came out of retirement to take up the role, would be in post for six months, but the force has struggled to recruit a permanent replacement for Mr Anderson.

The IOPC separately considered allegations against Mr Evison but decided to take no further action and referred the matter back to the Humberside Police and Crime Panel, it was announced this month.

Mr Evison said of his preferred candidate: “I am delighted to confirm that the selection procedure to identify my preferred candidate for chief constable of Humberside Police has now concluded, with Chris Todd being unanimously endorsed by the selection panel following a shortlist of three candidates.

“I would like to place on record my thanks to those supporting the selection process. Thank you for the time taken by those attending the stakeholder engagement sessions as well as to those that sat alongside me as part of the panel during the assessment day and helped me to make the final selection.

“The Chair of the Police and Crime Panel was an observer throughout the final selection process, however the selection must be considered by the whole panel and the report by the independent member of the selection panel be considered before the appointment is confirmed.

“After a rigorous recruitment process, I am confident that Chris Todd has the experience, capability and ambition to continue to drive the force forward on it’s journey of continuous improvement.”

Mr Evison added: “Humberside Police has risen to become the highest performing force in the country, with an outstanding grading in the latest PEEL report. The inspection highlighted investigating crime, as ‘requires improvement’ and this is something Temporary Chief Constable Judi Heaton has been working hard to address.

“The force has been under excellent guardianship during Chief Constable Heaton’s leadership and I want to record my thanks to her for stepping into the role and providing the much needed stability and support to the force.

“The public have benefited from improved performance during her tenure and I will be challenging Chris Todd to continue this trajectory for the force so that the public continue to see sustainable improvements in service.”

Mr Todd will now attend a confirmation hearing with the police and crime panel in March.

Commenting on his selection, he said: “I am incredibly humbled and proud to be offered the opportunity to become the next chief constable of Humberside Police. Everything I have seen and all the encounters I have had with officers and staff so far fill me with excitement at the prospect.

“I am looking forward now to getting stuck into the hard work ahead and getting to meet all my new colleagues.”