I joined Merseyside Police from Cheshire Constabulary in 2016, having started my police career at Greater Manchester Police. I have had a varied career so far, starting out in neighbourhood policing as a police constable with GMP and working my way up to the rank of Inspector.
In 2008 I was promoted to Detective Chief Inspector with the Major Incident Team where I led teams of detectives investigating some of the most serious crimes such as murders. I saw first-hand the devastating impact violent crime had on the loved ones of victims and the wider community, and I was passionate about supporting families and putting offenders before the courts.
In 2010 I moved from being a detective back into a uniformed role as Superintendent in charge of partnerships and local policing in Moss Side and Longsight in Manchester. Two years later I returned to the Serious Crime Division as Detective Superintendent until I transferred on promotion to Cheshire Constabulary as Head of Public Protection.
There, I helped introduce a new, more integrated approach with partners who had the shared goal of intervening early to help prevent people from going down the wrong path into a life of crime. I have maintained links with lots of people in GMP, Cheshire and the North West Regional Organised Crime Unit because I love coaching and mentoring people through their careers, as I have benefited from that support myself.
I was delighted to be the Deputy Chief Constable at Merseyside Police. We have gone through extensive changes since I joined in 2016 but everything we have done is about putting the needs of the communities of Merseyside first. It was always a special place for me when I was growing up nearby in Ormskirk and I do see it as home. In April 2021 I became the Chief Constable of Merseyside Police and I am currently the national lead for Prevention. In July 2023 I was proud to be awarded a King’s Police Medal in the Birthday Honours.
Rose Hill will bring more than 1,100 officers and police staff under one roof and act as Merseyside Police’s flagship base on a key gateway into the city centre, overlooking Scotland Road and the Queensway tunnel, while also helping to regenerate the Everton area. It will be the base for Merseyside Police’s Chief Officer team, as well as the teams which assist with Corporate Support and Development, ICT, finance, the corporate assets team and the news and communications team.
Once the move is fully completed, it will save the force approximately £250,000 a year on its running costs. It is also hoped that a large portion of the cost of the new headquarters will be recouped through the sale of Canning Place, described as ‘the best regeneration opportunity in the entire country’. Construction on the eight-acre site began in September 2019 after Merseyside’s previous Police Commissioner, Jane Kennedy, and former Chief Constable, Andy Cooke QPM, ceremonially turned the first sod at the brownfield site which is adjacent to the force’s existing station on St Anne Street.
The Liverpool Metropolitan Police was established in 1836, making it one of the earliest municipal police forces in the UK. The formation of this force was a response to the increasing demands for law enforcement in the rapidly growing city of Liverpool, which was becoming a significant port and industrial center. In its early years, the Liverpool Metropolitan Police faced numerous challenges, including managing crime in a densely populated and economically diverse city. Its duties involved maintaining public order, investigating crimes, and ensuring the safety of its citizens, reflecting the needs of an expanding urban environment.
As the city evolved, so did the police force, which developed specialized units to address various types of crime and public disorder. The Liverpool Metropolitan Police was instrumental in managing the social and economic changes that characterized 19th-century Liverpool. However, significant administrative changes were on the horizon, leading to the reorganization of local government and police forces across England and Wales.
In 1974, the Local Government Act 1972 brought about a major reorganization, resulting in the dissolution of the Liverpool Metropolitan Police. It was absorbed into the newly established Merseyside Police, which took on responsibilities for the entire metropolitan county of Merseyside. This restructuring aimed to provide a more coordinated approach to policing across the region, which included Liverpool and its neighboring areas. Today, Merseyside Police continues to serve the community, building on the legacy of the Liverpool Metropolitan Police by addressing modern challenges and focusing on community engagement and effective law enforcement.
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