Search for new Chief Constable of West Midlands Police launched
The search for the next Chief Constable of West Midlands Police has begun following Sir David Thompson's decision to stand down.
Applications for the role, considered one of the top jobs in British policing, are now open and will run until 5pm on May 30. Shortlisted candidates will be interviewed in late June.
Sir David is due to stand down after the Commonwealth Games, which start at the end of July. Announcing his decision in January after 12 years with the force, he said it was “time for a fresh vision" for West Midlands Police.
West Midlands Police and Crime Commissioner Simon Foster, said: "Chief Constable of West Midlands Police is one of the top jobs in British policing and I am keen to attract a talented, wide and diverse panel of candidates.
"The next Chief Constable will be responsible for working with me, to deliver my Police and Crime Plan and my core pledge of rebuilding community policing.
"Appointing a Chief Constable is one of the most important decisions I will make whilst in office. I expect the next Chief Constable to prevent and tackle crime so as to ensure the West Midlands is a safe and secure place for people to live and work."
Sir David was appointed as Chief Constable in 2016. His contract was extended in 2020 and is due to expire in January 2023.
The new chief will run the second biggest force in England and Wales, serving a population of more than three million people.
They will be tasked with addressing soaring crime rates that have bucked the national trend, with violence and youth crime key concerns.
Mr Foster has revealed he has written to police officers and others across the country holding a rank equivalent to Assistant Chief Constable or above, in a bid to drum up interest in the post.
