Wiltshire Police chief constable retiring after 30 years' service
Kier Pritchard will leave the force in June 2023.
Last updated 2nd Nov 2022
Wiltshire Police's chief constable has announced he's retiring - after 30 years' service.
Kier Pritchard will leave the force in June 2023 - having spent his entire career with it after joining as a 19-year-old.
He took on the role of chief constable in March 2018 - dealing with the force's largest major incident - the Salisbury Novichok poisonings.
"The opportunity to lead this force as chief has been the greatest privilege of my professional career," Mr Pritchard said.
"It really has been an honour serving the communities of Wiltshire.
"This county is very close to my heart - it is my home, it is where my family have grown up, and it is also where I followed in the footsteps of my late father in joining Wiltshire Police at the age of 19 in 1993.
"Taken together, we have provided over 60 years of continued public service.
"It has always been my intention to retire at 30 years' service so that I can look to the next stage of my life with my family."
Mr Pritchard became chief constable in March 2018 just as a major incident was declared following the Salisbury Novichok nerve agent attack on Russian double agent Sergei Skripal and his daughter Yulia.
While the Skripals survived, Dawn Sturgess, 44, died after she came into contact with a perfume bottle believed to have been used in the attack and then discarded. Her partner, Charlie Rowley, was left seriously ill but recovered.
Two Russian nationals have been accused of travelling to the UK to try to murder Mr Skripal with Novichok, smearing the highly toxic substance on the door handle of his home in Salisbury. Moscow has repeatedly denied any involvement.
"I remain fully committed to leading the force between now and my departure in 2023," Mr Pritchard added.