Lancashire Constabulary names new deputy chief constable

Sacha Hatchett joins the force from North Wales Police where she was assistant chief constable and the force’s first female chief officer.

Lancashire Chief Constable Chris Rowley said she was the “right person for the job” from a field of high-quality candidates.

Ms Hatchett joined the police service in February 1997 and has worked in a variety of different roles across North Wales Police and Cheshire.

As a chief superintendent she had responsibility for local policing services and had experience as a lead of force change programmes.

And as head of Operational Support Services, Ms Hatchett had overall responsibility for the operational delivery of roads policing, firearms policing, operational planning, the administration of justice and the force Communications Centre across North Wales.

In her role as assistant chief constable for North Wales Police, Ms Hatchett had overall responsibility for the force’s crime operations portfolio. She also holds the national portfolio for forensic collision investigation.

Ms Hatchett, who has two children of school age, said: “I am hugely proud to have served as North Wales Police’s first female chief officer and to have been involved in many of the force’s developments and successes during my 24 years of service.

“It is now time to move on to the next opportunity and I very much look forward to the new challenges of the deputy chief constable role at Lancashire Constabulary.

“I look forward to bringing my own wealth of experience over to the Lancashire chief officer team, having worked across a variety of departments and specialist roles during my career.

“I am incredibly proud to work in policing and am excited to continue to serve and protect communities of Lancashire.”

Mr Rowley said: “I am delighted to appoint Sacha to the role of deputy chief constable. She showed she was the right person for the job against a field of really strong and high quality candidates, all of whom I would like to thank. Sacha’s passion and commitment for policing really shone through and I look forward to working with her and the rest of the chief officer team to help Lancashire Constabulary deliver an excellent service to the public so we can best protect our communities, especially those who are vulnerable.”

Lancashire’s police and crime commissioner Andrew Snowden added: “I’m really pleased that Sacha Hatchett will be taking up the role of deputy chief constable at such an important and exciting time for Lancashire Constabulary.

“She will play a key role, supporting the chief constable in taking the fight to criminals and strengthening neighbourhood policing so officers can tackle the issues that matter most to people, such as anti-social behaviour.

“With more officers being put onto our streets through the Government uplift, Sacha will ensure that these extra resources make a real difference across our communities and deliver on the priorities that I will be setting out in my police and crime plan.”