Thames Valley Police chief constable to retire next year
The chief constable of Thames Valley Police has announced he is to retire at the end of his term on March 31, 2023.
John Campbell, who has been chief constable since 2018, said: “At the end of March 2023, my term as chief constable concludes, and after four years in the post, over 13 years within the force and more than 35 years in the policing, I have decided it is the right time for me to retire.
“Making this announcement now allows plenty of time for a smooth transition to the new chief constable in the spring. I remain fully committed to leading the force over the next seven months.”
He added: “It has been an honour serving the communities of the Thames Valley, and I am immensely proud of the officers, staff and volunteers who work around the clock, every single day, to keep our communities safe.”
Responding to Mr Campbell’s decision to retire, Thames Valley police and crime commissioner (PCC) Matthew Barber said: “John will have served the public as a police officer for over 35 years, 13 of those as a chief officer within Thames Valley Police and four years as chief constable.
“I thank him for his contribution to the police service, especially his leadership of the force and his focus on delivering on mine and my predecessors police and crime plan.
“I have very much enjoyed working with John and am proud of what he has achieved for the force and I will be sorry to see him leave.
“John will continue to lead the force over the next seven months and ensure the force continues to work tirelessly to protect our communities across Berkshire, Buckinghamshire and Oxfordshire.”
The PCC opened the recruitment process for Mr Campbell’s successor on Thursday (September 1) to enable a “smooth transition in leadership for Thames Valley Police”. Mr Barber said he was looking for an “exceptional leader as the new chief constable of Thames Valley Police to be in post on April 1, 2023.
Mr Barber said: “ Thames Valley remains a safe place with a high performing police force, and I want to ensure that we continue to serve our communities to the best of our ability and provide high quality policing that our residents, as well as our officers and staff, can be proud of.
“To support me in achieving this, I am looking for an exceptional, dedicated, ethical and high-performing leader to become our next chief constable.
“With significant and senior policing experience and a proven track record in delivering positive organisational change and improvements in public confidence and crime fighting, the successful candidate will lead the future of Thames Valley Police.”