Chief constable of Dyfed-Powys Police announces retirement

Mr Collins started his policing career as a Special constable with Sussex Police in 1985, he returned to his home force in 1987 and continued to volunteer on the front line until joining the Metropolitan Police in 1991 and then rising through the ranks across a number for forces.

Mr Collins said: “I couldn’t have hoped for more as a chief than the time I have spent back in my home force, something that was unimaginable during my time as a Special Constable here more than 30 years ago.

“It hasn’t all been easy and there have been some challenges. Having gone from a force that others aspired to be, to one which appeared to have lost some direction and focus, there have been tough calls to be made on resourcing, structure and our broader model for policing the safest, yet most rural communities in England and Wales.

“Disestablishing chief officer posts at the centre in order to enable improved management structures across the four counties was a priority for me, as was a realigning our divisions to be coterminous with our local authority areas again.”

Ensuring that the UK’s geographically largest and most rural force area had a policing function which understood and was able to respond to the policing challenge unique to farming and isolated communities was also one of Mr Collins’ priorities. In 2018 he introduced the rural policing teams across the force area – a move that has been welcomed by farming unions and wider communities. These teams remain a priority and have been enhanced with further resources since their inception.

Under Mr Collins’ watch, Dyfed-Powys Police has led the way in the development of digital crime investigation and scientific support, with an investment in staff into these departments in recent years. These specialist units have both been hailed as leading in their fields, and central to the success of a number of significant investigations.

Mr Collins, awarded with the Queen’s Policing Medal in the New Year’s Honours List 2020, has also held the national portfolio on policing and mental health, and in more recent years has also led UK policing in understanding and tackling group-based child sexual exploitation.

Dyfed-Powys  police and crime commissioner Dafydd Llywelyn said: “I would like to take this opportunity to congratulate Mark on his successful career in policing and wish him well for the future.

“Mark’s leadership has been instrumental to the improvements made within Dyfed Powys Police over recent years. He has worked assiduously to improve performance and his commitment has been of tremendous benefit to the workforce and the community we serve. Mark has been a successful appointment as chief constable and he has been a pleasure to work with. Mark leaves a legacy which I am confident will see the organisation go from strength to strength.”