Return to her policing roots for Lichfield’s new area commander

Chief Inspector Bev Rounds is a few days into her new role, having started as area commander on Wednesday.

“Lichfield is a special place for me, with some great memories,” she said. “I feel very privileged to be area commander because this is where it all began for me. I learned so much about law and people and I have so much affection for the first place I was based.”

Bev started patrolling as a probationer in Lichfield in 2001, having joined in the June. After two years learning the ropes in the city, she worked on an operation targeting vehicle crime in the Trent Valley area, before being promoted to sergeant in Lichfield in 2006.

Bev worked on response and served as a custody sergeant in Tamworth, before working at HQ in Stafford with a focus on community policing. After serving as deputy local commander in Tamworth Bev was promoted to inspector in autumn 2014 and completed the tactical firearms course.

“I’ve always enjoyed uniform policing and it’s where my heart lies.” Bev worked as a force duty officer – a role that involves managing high risk incidents, such as firearms deployments, and local policing resources.

After taking maternity leave to have her son, she then served as Cannock’s deputy area commander, as response inspector, and, then a stint as chief inspector for response policing.

She has a busy schedule, managing major incidents, looking after her son, and finding time to run.

“Just three or four miles, not long distances,” she says, “but it keeps me fit and grounded and I love the time I have with my family.”

Bev is also working on her Masters dissertation. She is preparing a paper on missing people – a subject she’s had long-term interest and involvement in – for her studies with the University of Derby.

After growing up near Stafford Bev worked in a number of jobs – administration at GEC, Pontins supervisor, card shop manager and digger operator – before taking up a role for Prudential Assurance.

She was managing a training day when she was impressed with how well a tricky role play was directed and calmed by one of the class members.

“I asked about his style and approach and he said he had watched and copied his brother-in-law, who was a police officer.”

“I thought I could do that and I made enquiries and got bitten by the bug. I hadn’t thought about it before, but I knew policing was what I wanted to do.”

Bev says her way of working is collaborative and she’s keen to listen to people’s views on the issues affecting them.

“I’m keen to build on the good work done by Mark Ward and listen to people in Lichfield to understand what their concerns are and any steps or changes we can make to resolve them.”