NEW CHIEF POLICE OFFICER APPOINTED TO COMPLETE DYFED-POWYS’ TOP TEAM

Dyfed-Powys Police has this week appointed a new Assistant Chief Constable. Emma Ackland is currently serving as the Temporary Assistant Chief Constable leading the All Wales Collaboration Change Programme and will join the team in Carmarthen in May.

Emma’s very aware of the policing landscape in Wales, having joined Gwent Police on promotion to Chief Superintendent in 2015.

In January 2017, Emma became Gwent’s Temporary Assistant Chief Constable, with force wide responsibility for Criminal Justice, Custody, Data Management, Operations, Neighbourhood Policing and Protective Services. In 2019 she began a secondment as T/ACC, leading on work such as the implementation of the Single Online Home for Wales – a new platform coming later this year, which will provide online access to policing services and revolutionising the way our communities can interact with us.

As an active Cheltenham University graduate in Sports Science and Recreation Management, in 1994 Emma started her policing career with Gloucestershire Constabulary. For the next 11 years whilst at both Gloucestershire and Gwent, Emma worked predominantly in uniform roles, commanding BCUs in both rural and urban areas, leading the force control room and specialist operations department.

Speaking about her successful appointment to Dyfed-Powys Police, she said:

“I moved to Gwent in 2015 and love the passion amongst the Welsh forces for wanting to do the very best they can for the communities we serve and are always looking for opportunities to improve and deliver the best possible service.

“I’m originally from Warwickshire, but my love of the Dyfed-Powys area began back at the age of ten, when I enjoyed many family holidays in the Cardigan area. My mother now lives there and has done for many years. I feel as though I have a home there and have made many friends.

“Throughout my career, I have been committed and passionate about making a difference, both in terms of strengthening police relationships with the public and improving services. I am delighted to join Dyfed Powys Police and look forward to starting the next chapter of my career in an area which has already welcomed my family and I.

Upon appointing Emma to our current vacancy, Chief Constable Mark Collins said:

“I’m really looking forward to Emma joining us and completing our team of permanently appointed chief officers. We’ve gone through a lot of change over the last few years, with a number of temporary roles amongst the senior leadership team, but this now gives us a real opportunity to regroup and move forward.

“Emma’s no stranger to us as chief officers in Wales – she has been central to much of the recent collaborative work and already has established relationships with many of us.

Emma is married and has a nine year old son.