New Chief takes helm of constabulary

Alec Wood can now be appointed as the new Chief Constable of Cambridgeshire Constabulary following a meeting of the Police and Crime Panel today (16 September).

The confirmation is the final step in a robust recruitment process where the Police and Crime Panel endorsed the choice of Police and Crime Commissioner, Sir Graham Bright.

On hearing of the Panel’s endorsement of the appointment Sir Graham said, “I welcome the Police and Crime Panel’s confidence in Alec Wood as the new Chief Constable. We are fortunate to have such a trusted, respected and capable person taking the helm of the county’s police force.

“Throughout the rigorous recruitment process Alec demonstrated his vision for the future of the Constabulary and how the force will develop to meet the challenges ahead. I very much look forward to working with Alec and his team to continue to provide the people of Cambridgeshire a police service that they can trust and have confidence in.”

Alec’s distinguished policing career began in 1986 in Lincolnshire and over the years he has had roles in both uniform and with CID, including Head of Crime. Progressing through the ranks Alec was appointed Assistant Chief Constable in Derbyshire in 2010 before returning to Lincolnshire in 2012 as Temporary Deputy Chief Constable and then Acting Chief Constable in 2013. He joined Cambridgeshire in 2013 as Deputy Chief Constable and has been Temporary Chief Constable since the former Chief Constable, Simon Parr, retired in July. He also holds an MA in Criminology.

Sir Graham continues: “Cambridgeshire needs a strong and competent leader to steer the police service through an uncertain financial future and one that can command the respect and support of the workforce. As a visionary Chief Constable, Alec will waste no time in building on the excellent work undertaken by his predecessor to continuously innovate and break new boundaries of service quality and delivery while also protecting our communities and meeting public expectations”.

Chairman of the Police and Crime Panel, Councillor Jason Ablewhite, added his support for the decision: “The appointment of Chief Constable is a vital one for the county and both the Police and Crime Commissioner and the Police and Crime Panel have carried out a thorough and challenging process to ensure Cambridgeshire get the right person for the role. On behalf of the Police and Crime Panel I would like to congratulate Alec on his appointment and wish him every success in the journey to continue to make Cambridgeshire a safer place to live.

On hearing the news of his appointment, Chief Constable Alec Wood said, “I am honoured that both the Commissioner and the Panel have put their trust in me to lead the Constabulary through the challenges ahead. I have dedicated my career to serving the public and I look forward to continuing this work at the head of the organisation. I am under no illusion of the scale of the challenges ahead but we know what has to be done and I have a great team in place to help me deliver a police service fit for the 21st century”.