New chief constable appointed for Powys
A new chief constable has appointed to head Dyfed-Powys Police.
Dr Richard Lewis, the current Cleveland Chief Constable, has been announced as the preferred candidate chosen by Police and Crime Commissioner Dafydd Llywelyn.
The appointment follows the retirement of former chief constable Mark Collins earlier this year.
Dr Lewis said: “I have just sent a message to every member of Dyfed-Powys Police setting out my aims in working with them upon my return to the force; inviting them to share their voice as we plan for the future, and setting out the standards I expect in delivering a service to our communities. We will clearly define our priorities and focus on them relentlessly.
“Delivering the best service to our communities also requires us to be culturally aware, and to acknowledge the needs of our communities – be it from the status of the Welsh language, right through to the needs of those that have found a welcome place of safety from challenged corners of the globe, and settled here in mid and west Wales.
“I want every staff member, officer and volunteer to feel able to bring their true selves to work; that’s when we do great things.
He is the National Police Chiefs’ Council lead for ethics and chairs the National Ethics Committee. He recently completed his doctorate with Bath Spa University.
Temporary Chief Constable Claire Parmenter will continue to focus on the force’s pandemic recovery until Dr Lewis commences his new role in Dyfed Powys.
Mr Llywelyn, said: “I am delighted to be able to announce Dr Richard Lewis as the new Chief Constable for Dyfed-Powys Police, following unanimous support from the Police and Crime Panel today.
“When I set out on this process, it was important that I recruited a chief officer who could bring the vision, determination and resilience required to lead the constabulary. Richard performed very well throughout the whole assessment process and demonstrated great leadership skills. His vast experience and understanding of policing as well as his knowledge of the Dyfed-Powys area puts him in a good place to support the priorities in my Police and Crime Plan.
“As a visionary chief constable, Richard will build on the excellent work undertaken by his predecessor, Mark Collins who retired earlier this year, to continuously improve the quality of our service, protecting our communities and meeting public expectations.
“He has a fantastic track record of fighting crime and managing community policing and I very much look forward to working with him to keep our communities safe and to develop a Force that serves for today and is fit for the future.
“I am very grateful to Claire Parmenter for her support and leadership over recent months in the role as Temporary Chief Constable and I look forward to working with the future chief officer team to ensure that Dyfed Powys Police is the outstanding force that I am confident that it can be.”
