New Surrey chief constable ‘raring to get going’, says PCC
Surrey’s police and crime commissioner (PCC) says new chief constable Tim De Meyer is “raring to get going and is relishing the challenges that lie ahead”.
Lisa Townsend welcomed Mr De Meyer at force headquarters on his first day as head of Surrey Police and said she was looking forward to working closely with him in the weeks and months ahead.
Mr De Meyer joined one of the policing teams in Guildford for a shift on Monday morning (April 3) before he was later officially sworn in at a brief attestation ceremony.
He was the PCC’s preferred candidate for the post of chief constable following a thorough selection process that was carried out in January. The appointment was approved by the county’s Police and Crime Panel later that same month.
Ms Townsend said: “I am delighted to welcome Tim to Surrey Police and I believe he will be an inspirational and committed leader who will guide the force into an exciting new chapter.
“Tim brings with him a wealth of experience from a varied policing career across two different forces and will no doubt provide a fresh perspective to policing in Surrey. I am really looking forward to working with him on addressing the key priorities in my Police and Crime Plan and creating a strong vision for the future of the force.
“There is much hard work to do and it has been a difficult time for policing nationally. But I know Tim has been raring to get going and is relishing the challenges that lie ahead.
“I know Tim shares my passion in making Surrey the safest place it can be for our residents so I look forward to supporting him in tackling those issues which matter most to our local communities.”
Mr De Meyer began his police career with the Metropolitan Police Service in 1997 and joined Thames Valley Police in 2008.
In 2012, he was promoted to chief superintendent for neighbourhood policing and partnership before becoming head of professional standards in 2014. He was promoted to assistant chief constable for crime and criminal justice in 2017, and moved to local policing in 2022.
Mr De Meyer said: “It is an honour to become the chief constable of Surrey Police. This position carries great responsibility and it is my privilege to serve Surrey’s communities alongside our force’s excellent officers, staff, and volunteers.
“I am grateful to everyone for making me feel so welcome and we will continue to work hard together to fight crime and protect the public.
“I look forward to working with the PCC and with our many partners to ensure that Surrey remains a safe county.”