Humberside Police chief stepping down

NEW CHALLENGE: Humberside Police Chief Constable Lee Freeman is leaving the force. Picture by Tom Arran Commercial Photography

By Rick Lyon

Lee Freeman is stepping down as Chief Constable of Humberside Police, it has been announced today.

Mr Freeman is leaving after being appointed His Majesty’s Inspector with His Majesty’s Inspectorate of Constabulary and Fire & Rescue Services (HMICFRS).

Mr Freeman, who was awarded the King’s Police Medal for services to policing in this year’s New Year Honours List, has been the Chief Constable of Humberside for six years, during which he has overseen a remarkable transformation of the force.

Independent watchdog HMICFRS graded it as “outstanding” in six out of nine categories in a report released last November.

Humberside, which was rated “inadequate” seven years ago and placed in special measures, now has the highest number of “outstanding” grades of any of the 43 police forces in England and Wales.

Mr Freeman will be inspecting other forces and advising them how they can improve in his new role with HMICFRS.

MOVING ON: Lee Freeman talking to The Hull Story. Picture by Neil Holmes Photography

Mr Freeman, who is from Grimsby, said: “Of course, I am delighted to receive this public appointment. However, making the decision to leave has been incredibly difficult. Humberside is my home force, and one that I have always felt privileged to have been able to lead over the last six years.

“I leave an outstanding force, with strong leadership throughout the organisation, an outstanding workforce, 750 more police officers swelling our ranks than I inherited, and a strong financial base from which colleagues can ensure that the force continues to improve even further.

“When I started as the Chief Constable in May 2017, the force was in special measures, and remained so until 2018. At the time, I recall publicly saying that our local communities had a right to be policed by one of the best performing forces in the country. With the unfailing support of every member of staff, this was achieved in November 2022. These improvements must continue.

“However, even with the awards and accolades that the force has received in the last few years, I have also been clear that every victim and member of the public that contacts us for help needs to also feel that shift. So, despite Humberside’s transformation, we know we still have more work to do as well. However, I am confident that the team I leave behind will continue to listen to our communities and ensure that the force goes from strength to strength.”

The transformation of Humberside that Mr Freeman has overseen has included significant improvements to call handling, positive outcomes for victims, and staff morale, all recognised by external, independent monitoring bodies. It was named Police Force of the Year at the IESE Public Sector Transformation Awards consecutively in 2022 and 2023, and also now has some of the highest numbers of officers and staff in its history.

Humberside Police and Crime Commissioner Jonathan Evison said: “Chief Constable Freeman has been an exemplary and transformational leader of Humberside Police for the past six years, and has seen the force achieve the best independent inspection grades of any force in the country. 

“I know he will apply his leadership and experience to his new role with HMICFRS with great success, making a further contribution to policing on a national level.

‘A LOSS TO THE FORCE’: Humberside Police and Crime Commissioner Jonathan Evison

“His leadership is no doubt a loss to the force, but I will be embarking on a recruitment campaign imminently to find our next Chief Constable, someone who is able to continue the work of Chief Constable Freeman and take the force even further to ensure the communities of East Yorkshire and Northern Lincolnshire continue to see and feel improved performance. 

“I personally thank Chief Constable Freeman for his service to Humberside Police and our communities, and wish him all the best in his new role.”

Mr Freeman has been a police officer for 30 years. He started his career at City of London Police in 1993, before moving to Lincolnshire Police. He joined Humberside Police as Assistant Chief Constable in 2016, and moved into the Chief Constable role in 2017.

Mr Freeman said: “It has been an absolute privilege and honour to be the Chief Constable of Humberside Police, serving the area where I grew up and identify so closely with.”