Chief Constable

This profile has recently been reviewed and updated, including the CVF 2024 and core skills, and the new version can be found on College Learn by entering the Profile title in the search function.

The Chief Constable has overall responsibility for leading the Force, creating a vision and setting direction and culture that builds public and organisational confidence and trust, and enables the delivery of a professional, effective and efficient policing service.

The Chief Constable holds direct accountability for the operational delivery of policing services and the effective command and leadership of the policing response to crime, and major and critical incidents.

The Chief Constable is responsible for influencing the development of regional and national policing and may be accountable for national operations or standard setting.

As a Corporation Sole, the Chief Constable is responsible for fulfilling all statutory and legal obligations of the office of Chief Constable and complying with any Schemes of Governance or Consent that exist, which determine force governance arrangements.

• Set and ensure the implementation of organisational and operational strategy for the Force, having due regard to the Police and Crime Plan and Strategic Policing Requirement and any wider plans and objectives, in order to provide an effective and efficient policing service that meets current and future policing demands.

• Develop a mutually productive strategic relationship with the Police and Crime Commissioner in line with the requirements of the Policing Protocol, whilst fulfilling all statutory and legal obligations as Corporation Sole.

• Develop and maintain governance arrangements and processes within the force, to ensure effective decision making and appropriate action at all levels/tiers of the organisation.

• Lead the Force, communicating a clear direction, setting organisational culture and promoting values, ethics and high standards of professional conduct to enable an effective and professional service.

• Lead, inspire and engage the Chief Officer Team; setting and role modelling approaches to a workforce culture that promotes wellbeing, facilitates impactful professional development and performance management to create empowered teams that effectively enable the achievement of the Force vision and goals.

• Hold accountability for Force financial management and determine functional budgets within the agreed framework as issued by the Police and Crime Commissioner, to ensure the effective use of public spending and maximise value for money.

• Fulfil the authorising responsibilities of a Chief Constable e.g. authorisation of intrusive surveillance and maintain operational oversight, holding accountability for effective, compliant policing responses, in order to protect the public and further develop the Force’s operational strategies.

• Lead and command the operational policing responses on occasion, in the most high risk and high profile instances, in order to protect the public and ensure an appropriate and effective response.

• Advise national bodies such as COBR on matters of public safety and national security to contribute to effective decision making that protects the public from serious threat and upholds the law.

• Develop and maintain strategic relationships with local, regional and national partners, effectively influencing and collaborating to contribute to improvements and change in the broader operating context and enable the achievement of the Force objectives.

• Represent the Force at a local, regional and national level to the public, media and other external stakeholders to promote visibility, connect with the public and build confidence in policing.

• Lead national thinking, policy and guidance within an area of specialism to enable the continuous improvement of effective policing practice.

• Create and drive a culture of development, change and innovation to ensure enhanced productivity, value for money and continuous improvement in evidence based policing.

• Play an active role in national decision making on the development of the Police Service to enable the effective co-ordination of operations, reform and improvements in policing and the provision of value for money.

Prior Education and Experience:
• Has held rank of ACC/Commander or a more senior rank in a UK Police Force (or have held one of the designated roles if appointed from overseas) or have held a senior position in the Fire and Rescue Service in cases where a single employer model has been adopted.

• Authorising Officer Training.

• Wide ranging operational law enforcement experience.

• A demonstrable track record of successful experience of working at a strategic level, including the leadership of law enforcement officers and staff at senior leadership level.

• Experience of successfully engaging with and influencing multi-agency partnerships.

• Experience of implementing an effective performance management framework.

• Experience of implementing successful organisational development, change and innovation.

• Experience of accountability for management of significant budgets.

• Up to date operational/technical policing knowledge.

• Knowledge of developing legal, political, economic, social, technological, and environmental factors and an understanding of the implications for strategic planning.

• Knowledge of relevant local, regional and national policies, strategies and initiatives and an understanding of the implications within the policing context.

Policing Education and Qualification Framework (PEQF):

The educational provision relating to the ranks above Police Constable has still to be confirmed by the College. Should an educational requirement be agreed for the Chief Officer ranks, the expectation is that this would be set at Level 7. Information will be made available in due course by the College of Policing, and any new requirements agreed with the Service will require development before implementation. Consequently existing promotion requirements will continue to apply for the foreseeable future.

Skills:
• Highly skilled in the development of ambitious vision, strategy and policy, aligned to operational realities and wider plans/goals.

• Able to operate with high levels of commercial acumen, skilled in effective organisational financial management which balances conflicting resource demands and drives value for money.

• Able to create strategic organisational change, to deliver appropriate responses to emerging trends and issues.

• Able to scan the internal and external horizon, identifying emerging trends and issues and use these to inform strategic planning.

• Able to operate with high levels of political astuteness, skilled in impacting the internal and external political landscape effectively.

• Able to use a wide range of highly effective communication, problem solving and influencing techniques and methods to successfully negotiate, collaborate and influence change at the most senior levels and across a diverse range of stakeholders and partners.

• Skilled in building and maintaining strategic stakeholder relationships at the most senior levels, being able to resolve issues and to reconcile conflicts of interest.

• Skilled in leading, developing and inspiring people, engaging the organisation with strategic priorities, values and behaviours.

• Able to reflect on and hold themselves, individuals and the organisation to account for performance and behaviours.

• Able to identify, commission and implement new or improved technologies/services that have a transformational impact on Force service delivery and/or cost.

A senior leaders CPD Framework has been developed that identifies three important elements Chief Officers should consider when planning their CPD.
Chief Officers should reflect upon their existing knowledge, skills and experience to identify and plan their professional development alongside the following examples. Below are some suggested examples but are by no means exhaustive:

Personal Skills
• Role model continuing professional development and lead by example by sharing learning and reflections to support the professionalisation of the police service.

• Maintain knowledge of strategic leadership and management theory and continually reflect on practical application in the operational policing context.

• Attend bi-annual National Chief Constable CPD events.

• Participate in coaching and/or mentoring opportunities for self and others to use and share the learning to inform own and others’ approach to leadership, management and policing.

Business Skills
• Maintain commercial awareness and build financial acumen by working closely with partners and multi-agencies at a local and national level.

• Maintain knowledge and understanding of performance management processes, including data analysis methodologies and how performance can be benchmarked locally, regionally and nationally.

• Contribute to evidence based research by conducting research and analysis of operational policing issues to solve problems and support the professionalisation and transformation of policing.

• Build and participate in peer networks and action learning sets to enable approaches to joint problem solving, share learning locally, regionally and nationally to support business process modernisation, efficiency and continuity.

Professional Skills
• Maintain knowledge of College of Policing Guidance, best practice and national and local initiatives and policies applicable to the strategic policing context.

• Maintain and update key knowledge and understanding to effectively apply legislation, policy and practice across all functional policing areas of operational responsibility.

• Maintain knowledge and understanding of political, economic, social, technological, legal and environmental factors and developments to inform strategic policing plans and enable an efficient and effective approach to policing and ensure the force is able to tackle new and evolving crime, threats and priorities.

• Work with national policing agencies and bodies, such as Her Majesty’s Inspectorate of Constabulary and Fire and Rescue Services (HMICFRS), National Crime Agency (NCA) and the College of Policing, and participate in and contribute to serious case reviews and Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) investigations to ensure the force meets and maintains professional standards.

• Complete all annual and mandatory training to retain occupational and operational accreditation.

Not applicable.

Not applicable.