Force faces "difficult challenges"

As the new chief constable of Bedfordshire Police took office this week, he said the force faces “really difficult challenges” in the coming years.

Alf Hitchcock took up his new position this week replacing former chief constable Gillian Parker who retired on December 22.

Mr Hitchcock says that there will be challenging times in the coming years but he is delighted to have the opportunity to address these with a force that is so forward thinking and positive about the future.

Mr Hitchcock brings with him more than 30 years experience in policing. His career began with Lancashire Constabulary in 1977, where he carried out a number of operational roles. He subsequently joined the Metropolitan Police Service in 2003 as an associate director teaching the national Strategic Command Course at the Police Staff College in Bramshill.

“I would like to say how delighted I am to be the new chief constable of Bedfordshire Police and how optimistic I am about our future. During my initial visits I’ve been impressed by the enthusiasm of all the officers and staff,” he added.

In 2004 he moved into territorial policing and took on the responsibility for nine territorial boroughs and held the criminal justice portfolio. By 2005 he had lead responsibility for the Safer Neighbourhoods Programme in the Metropolitan Police area and had delivered the successful roll out of neighbourhood policing across the whole of London by the end of 2006. In 2007 he was appointed Deputy Assistant Commissioner for Operational Services. He became the national police spokesman on knife crime and in 2008 was appointed by the then Home Secretary Jacqui Smith to develop the Tackling Knives Action Programme.

In 2009 Mr Hitchcock was appointed deputy chief constable and joined the National Police Improvement Agency (NPIA) to help set up the new National College of Police Leadership and review the leadership courses delivered by the Leadership Development Unit.