Longest serving chief constable announces ‘early retirement’

The chief constable of Merseyside Police has announced he will step down after more than 41 years’ service.

Announcing his intention to retire in June, police and crime commissioner Jane Kennedy thanked Sir Jon Murphy for his contribution to policing and the people of Merseyside and praised the exceptional commitment, integrity and professionalism he has demonstrated during his time in the role.

She also wished him well for the future and good health in his retirement.

“Sir Jon is rightly recognised as one of the country’s most respected and highly regarded police officers. We are fortunate to have benefited from the services of a leader of such quality for so long,” she said.

“Quite simply, he is a first class chief constable.”

Sir Jon started his career in 1975 as a cadet with the newly formed Merseyside Police.

Last January he celebrated his 40th year of service and his fifth as chief constable.

He also announced that he had renewed his contract, giving him the option to stay on until at least 2018.

Sir Jon said: “I can’t express how privileged I feel to have been able to lead the police force my father served in. I joined as a 16-year-old cadet in 1975 and to serve the public of Merseyside has been a great honour and I am grateful for all the support I have received from leaders of the region, business, academic institutions and the public at large.

“In particular, for the past three years I have had the privilege to work alongside Merseyside’s first Police and Crime Commissioner, Jane Kennedy, who has brought both effective scrutiny and great support for the fantastic people who work for Merseyside Police.

“The last six years have been really challenging as the force has had to make cuts and reduce the workforce, but we have met those challenges head on.

“It is with a heavy heart that I have made the decision to retire and I have enjoyed my 41 years in the service, but it is now time to move on and let someone else take the force forward.”

In 1982, Sir Jon joined the CID, where he spent 20 years before ultimately rising to the rank of detective superintendent.

He left Merseyside Police in 2001 to join the National Crime Squad as assistant chief constable, head of operations, and helped to establish the first European Joint Investigation Team.

Three years later he returned at the rank of deputy chief constable.

Since then he has received the Queen’s Police Medal, and in 2014 he was knighted for his services to law enforcement.

He has also been awarded a Lifetime Achievement Award from the Police Federation National Detective Forum, been voted Mersey Region Public Sector Leader of the Year and been awarded an Honorary Fellowship by Liverpool John Moores University.

According to Sir Jon, his abiding memory of his career is working in the 1981 Toxteth riots – the location of his first beat.

He said last year: “Being stood behind a shield while petrol bombs and bricks were being thrown by a hundreds-strong mob was challenging for a 23 year-old lad, albeit by that time I’d had five years’ service.

“Nobody had really experienced that kind of violence on such a scale before.”

He also said that the highlight of his time as chief constable was seeing the work done by his officers to build and maintain links with the people of Merseyside.