New Chief Constable for Dyfed Powys Confirmed

Police and Crime Commissioner Christopher Salmon’s appointment of Simon Prince as the new Chief Constable for Dyfed-Powys Police has been confirmed by the Police and Crime Panel.

The Commissioner recommended Mr Prince as Chief Constable for the Force to the Police and Crime Panel, following a rigorous interview process involving three strong candidates.

Mr Prince is the first Chief Constable to be appointed by a Police and Crime Commissioner in Wales. He is currently the Assistant Chief Constable in Gwent and will start work with Dyfed Powys Police on April 1st 2013.

The assessment process took place over two days in February where the candidates’ skills and abilities were tested. Mr Prince met the Commissioner’s requirements for someone to lead the fight against crime and who understands the needs of communities across Mid and West Wales.

Speaking after the confirmation Mr Prince said, “I am delighted and excited to be appointed as the new Chief Constable for Dyfed Powys, I bring with me 22 years of experience of working in all areas of Policing in Gwent, and am ready to face the challenges posed by Dyfed Powys Police, which is geographically the large police force in England and Wales. I seek to build upon the excellent work and continue to improve crime levels and detection rates.

“But it isn’t all about numbers. It is also about the accessibility of services, and the level of confidence people feel in their communities and about their trust in the service they receive from their police force.

“I look forward to meeting residents and listening to their concerns and their needs and then seeking to tailor our services appropriately. I will put the public first and make sure all our staff provide excellent frontline services.

“The geography of the force and rural areas bring unique challenges that I will seek to understand so I can make sure we meet the needs felt by everyone, including our more rural, isolated communities.

“In times of financial challenge I will be looking where we can strip out waste, reduce bureaucracy and make sure every penny spent focuses on delivering an excellent service to the public.

Mr Christopher Salmon, Police and Crime Commissioner said, “We had a strong field of candidates and we put them through a rigorous process. The panel and I all agreed that Simon was the right person to lead the fight against crime and build the team in Dyfed Powys for the future.

“It is a great privilege to be the first Commissioner to appoint a Chief Constable in Wales and I look forward to working with Simon Prince from April.”