Merseyside chief Andy Cooke announces move to HMICFRS
The outgoing chief constable of Merseyside Police, Andy Cooke, is to join Her Majesty’s Inspectorate of Constabulary, Fire and Rescue Services (HMICFRS) immediately following his departure from the force.
Mr Cooke will take up the dual roles of Her Majesty’s Inspector of Constabulary and Inspector of Fire and Rescue Authorities in England, overseeing inspections primarily in the North of England.
He will take up the positions on Monday April 12.
Mr Cooke has worked in UK policing and law enforcement for nearly 36 years, with most of his service spent at Merseyside Police where he was appointed chief constable in 2016.
During his career he also served as assistant chief constable at Lancashire Constabulary and became the National Police Chiefs’ Council lead for the UK Protected Persons Service.
In 2019 he became the national lead for crime operations.
Mr Cooke has also been commended on ten occasions and was awarded the Queen’s Police Medal in 2014.
Mr Cooke said: “Although I am leaving what has been for me a vocational career as a serving police officer in an exceptional police force, I am proud to have been appointed by Her Majesty to the Inspectorate. I look forward to working with my new colleagues and both the police and fire services to further improve public safety.”
Mr Cooke was selected following a stringent recruitment process, which followed the Office of the Commissioner for Public Appointments Code of Practice.
The selection panel was led by an independent chair, Olivia Grant OBE, and also included a Home Office non-executive director (Michael Fuller QPM), a senior civil servant and Sir Thomas Winsor, HM Chief Inspector of Constabulary and Chief Inspector of Fire and Rescue Authorities in England.
HMICFRS inspectors are then appointed by the Queen on the advice of the Home Secretary and the Prime Minister.
