ACC Dave Long to retire from MDP

Assistant Chief Constable Dave Long joined the MDP in March 1984, following an early career in metallurgy engineering. His first posting was as a beat patrol officer at RAF Caerwent and he quickly moved up the ranks, working a variety of roles.

He was appointed temporary assistant chief constable in 2014 substantively promoted to assistant chief constable in 2016, covering the Organisational Development and Crime portfolio.

During his time as assistant chief constable, Mr Long oversaw a range of change and improvement projects, including the Organisational Development strategy, the firearms relicensing process with the College of Policing, internal governance reviews with the Police Committee, Force complement reviews (working closely with stakeholders across defence), and the recent HQ Operations restructure.

Reflecting on his career, Mr Long said: “During my almost 38 years of public service in the MDP, I’ve had great opportunities, some of which haven’t always been expected, but I’ve always embraced them as a challenge, with a personal commitment to do the right thing for the Force and to lead with compassion and integrity to gain the support of all those colleagues in my teams at the time.

“I’ve been fortunate to have experienced some enjoyable command positions, as well as leading on some key change programmes, and have been able to oversee the delivery of our various capabilities, across the force, for the benefit of defence, our customers and those in the communities we serve. The opportunity and ability to influence and help shape the future of the MDP has resonated strongly with me, as a career MDP officer, and has been a key motivator for my contributions as a chief officer.

“I have worked with some great colleagues over the years in the MDP, Ministry of Defence and other stakeholder teams – all of whom have helped shape me as a leader. However, I must place on record the support I have received from my family, which has been very significant and has enabled me to pursue various roles in different parts of the UK and to have a rewarding and enjoyable career with the MDP.

“I look forward to my retirement but will miss the camaraderie of being part of a big organisation. The time is now ripe though for me to watch from the side-lines, reflect on very fond memories and focus on the things I want to achieve in the future, thank you.

MDP Chief Constable Andy Adams commented: “Dave leaves us with an exemplary career record as a Ministry of Defence Police officer: he will be a sad loss to the force and his profession. I would like to take the opportunity, on behalf of all his colleagues, to wish him and the family all the best for the future.”