Former Dyfed-Powys PC is fast-tracked to become new chief constable
A former police constable with Dyfed-Powys Police is set to be confirmed as its chief constable today.
Sep 30, 2016
By Nick Hudson
A former police constable with Dyfed-Powys Police is set to be confirmed as its chief constable today.
Bedfordshire Police Deputy Chief Constable Mark Collins is being recommended as the preferred candidate for the post.
His appointment marks a rapid rise through chief officer ranks having only been appointed a Bedfordshire assistant chief constable in June 2015.
Mr Collins has been put forward by police and crime commissioner Dafydd Llywelyn following a “rigorous” two-day assessment at the force`s Carmarthen headquarters.
If accepted by the police and crime panel on Friday (September 30), he will take over from Simon Prince who is retiring after three years as chief constable.
Mr Prince was also fast-tracked to chief constable; he was recruited in 2013 having served two years as Gwent Police assistant chief constable, skipping the deputy chief constable rank.
Mr Collins began his policing career 25 years ago at the Metropolitan Police Service (MPS).
He moved to Dyfed-Powys Police in 1995 where he served in every rank from police constable to superintendent.
In 2005 he was appointed the exercise coordinator for Oystercatcher an Aglow-level counter terrorism exercise, based in West Wales and involving all four Welsh forces.
This maritime exercise was the largest of its kind ever held in the UK with over 1,100 participants involved including the then Home Secretary John Reid.
A year later he was appointed detective superintendent for the Wales Counter Terrorism Unit with a mandate from the four chief constables in Wales to brigade all counter terrorism and Special Branch resources to form one command.
In September 2008 he was appointed temporary detective chief superintendent and deputy national coordinator for preventing violent extremism.
During this period, he led on drafting the police chapter in the Prevent Strategy and built a network of coordinators across the UK.
Mr Collins returned to the MPS in 2012 as borough commander at Waltham Forest before joining Bedfordshire Police as assistant chief constable in June last year.
In February he was appointed deputy chief constable.