By Charlotte Webster-
The new chair of the National Police Chiefs’ Council (NPCC) has said that the challenge around rebuilding trust and confidence in policing “cannot be underestimated”.
Chief Constable Gavin Stephens (pictured)stressed the importance of “listening to the concerns of our communities” as he took up his post on Monday.
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Gavin was elected as the Chair of the National Police Chiefs’ Council (NPCC) following an official process in October 2022. He was formerly the Surrey Police Chief Constable until Spring 2023
The NPCC brings forces across the UK together to coordinate, reform, and improve policing.
The NPCC brings UK police leaders together to set direction in policing and drive progress for the public through coordination , collaboration and communication.
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Gavin will take on the role from current chair Martin Hewitt QPM.
Mr Stephens said: “I have always been incredibly proud to be a police officer and I am equally proud to be stepping into the role of NPCC chair, particularly at such a key time in policing history.
“Our challenge around rebuilding trust and confidence cannot be underestimated. We must aspire to and achieve the very highest professional standards, rooting out the behaviours that do not belong in policing.
“We must also be highly effective at crime prevention and investigation to be relevant to our communities.
“We need to be positive and proactive in our police work, really listening to the concerns of our communities, addressing them and then openly reporting back on what we have done.
“It’s my firm belief that those who trust policing the least should have the most opportunity to influence how we work.”
Mr Stephens said he wants to see this reflected in the Police Race Action Plan and in “collective efforts” to tackle male violence against women and girls.
He added: “I’m in awe of what my police officer, staff and volunteer colleagues achieve every day despite the often difficult circumstances they are working in and I have a great love for policing.
“I look forward to leading the NPCC in supporting UK policing to provide outstanding services to their communities.”
Mr Stephens joins the NPCC following four years as chief constable at Surrey Police. He joined the force in 1996 and since that time has served at every rank and across a wide range of areas, including serious and organised crime, professional standards and neighbourhood policing.
Nationally, he has played a major role in developing neighbourhood policing, using his knowledge and experience from Surrey to inform the national approach.
The NPCC brings UK police leaders together to set direction in policing and drive progress for the public through:
Coordination – joining up the operational response to critical national policing issues to deliver policing today and shape the future. Collaboration – working in partnership as part of the whole policing system and beyond to improve public safety; and Communication – sharing the collective expertise, views and action of UK police chiefs.
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