Avon and Somerset Police appoint new Chief Constable
Sarah Crew is the first woman to hold the role
Avon and Somerset Police have named their new Chief Constable, nearly six months after Andy Marsh left the role.
Sarah Crew has been named as his replacement today (25 November), making her the first female officer to hold the role.
She first joined the force 27 years ago and was confirmed in the position after a meeting of the Police and Crime Panel, having held the role of temporary Chief Constable since July.
Sarah said: “It will be the greatest honour of my life to serve the wonderfully diverse communities of Avon and Somerset as Chief Constable.
“I don’t underestimate the privilege and responsibility this role carries with it and I’m wholly committed to delivering the outstanding policing our communities want and deserve.
“Policing is at a watershed moment; there’s nothing more precious than the founding principle of policing by consent, and we must work tirelessly to earn and keep the public’s trust."
Former Chief Constable Andy Marsh left the role at the end of June this year, not long after the force had been strongly criticised for its response to several Kill the Bill protests in Bristol.
The first on 21 March descended into a riot outside Bridewell Police Station but several others in the weeks afterward, which started peacefully, were forcefully broken up by officers.
There were also incidents caught on camera of officers manhandling members of the media and appearing to use excessive force.
Around the same time Marsh left the role, a report was published by The All Party Parliamentary Group for Democracy and Constitution, which concluded officers "breached fundamental rights" in their handling of the Kill the Bill protests.
It claimed coronavrius lockdown laws were wrongly applied and excessive force was used against peaceful protestors, but speaking exclusively to us in October superintendent Mark Runacres who led the force's response to the riot, rejected that view.
"We were provided fairly little opportunity to respond to that report before it was then published," he told us.
"We disagreed with some of the content of that because of the basis on which the comments within it were made, not reflecting the feedback that we would've wanted to provide."
You can read more on supt Runacres' comments here.
On Chief Constable Crew's appointment, a statement from Avon and Somerset Police says she has previously held roles including head of intelligence and commander of the South Gloucestershire policing area.
“As a society, we’re facing growing levels of inequality and a criminal justice process under pressure," she said.
"These times call for policing to stand strong in its mission and stand firm to protect what we prize in our way of life.
“At its heart, the philosophy of policing is a bond of trust between citizens in policing and citizens in communities.
"Protecting and strengthening this bond of trust is my over-riding priority and I believe greater openness and accountability, and a renewed focus on culture and ethics, will be pivotal in achieving this.”
She added: “I want courage and empathy to be at the heart of everything we do – in every interaction with a vulnerable person; at the core of every investigation and in our relentless pursuit of justice.
“Courage is at its most powerful when combined with empathy and true empathy comes from seeing and feeling the lived experiences of others. We need to show humility and a commitment to listen to all of our communities.”
Chief Constable Crew is also the National Police Chiefs' Council lead for rape and sexual assault and the work of Avon and Somerset Police in this area was recently featured in a documentary on Channel 4.
As part of her national portfolio, Sarah has overseen the introduction of Project Bluestone in Avon and Somerset Police – a pioneering evidence-based approach to transform the way police respond and investigate rape and serious sexual offences.
“At its core, Project Bluestone is about shifting the focus onto offenders, while at the same time improving our response to victims," she said.
“It’s vital we relentlessly target, investigate and pursue those who commit the most crime, present the biggest risks and are the most corrosive influences on our communities.
“This can be done through an insight-led approach and even closer partnership working with criminal justice and third sector agencies, with a sharper focus on prevention and disruption at every stage.”
The recruitment process for the new Chief Constable was overseen by Police and Crime Commissioner Mark Shelford.
“I am absolutely delighted that Sarah has been confirmed as the new Chief Constable of Avon and Somerset Police at today’s Police and Crime Panel," he said.
“In a world where crime is changing rapidly, police need to adapt to keep up and I know Sarah enthusiastically supports innovation and improving technology to ensure Avon and Somerset is an efficient and effective police service.
“Sarah has a proven track record of strong and successful leadership and through her NPCC role she is undertaking important work with criminal justice and partner agencies to improve conviction rates for these types of offences and give victims the support they deserve.
“The police officers, staff and volunteers in Avon and Somerset are dedicated and hardworking, and I believe that Sarah’s leadership will enhance their considerable efforts and skills.”