Search for new Police Chief

The man responsible for appointing Cumbria's new Chief Constable has told Lookaround that whoever gets the top job will face some difficult decisions.

Police and Crime Commissioner Richard Rhodes says spending cuts will mean the force will have to recruit fewer officers. He says the post, which was advertised this week, will be a challenging one.

Katie Hunter reports.

The man in charge of hiring Cumbria's new chief constable says spending cuts mean the force will recruit fewer police officers.

The successful candidate will have an annual budget of £112 million and be responsible for cutting crime across the county.

Police and Crime Commissioner Richard Rhodes says it will be a challenging job.

Cumbria Police's new chief constable will be expected to cut crime with fewer staff when he, or she, takes over the role in the summer.

Police and Crime Commissioner, Richard Rhodes, has said the force will have to recruit fewer officers in order to save £10million by 2017.

Despite this, the new police chief will make between £118,209 and £144,478. The top end of the pay scale is more than the Prime Minister's annual salary.

Applications are now being accepted for Cumbria Police's top job.

The current chief constable, Bernard Lawson, is set to retire in June.

The deadline for application is mid-March with interviews being held in April

The search for Cumbria's new chief constable is under way as Bernard Lawson, who has occupied the chief constable role on a temporary basis, will retire in June.

The people of Cumbria have been having their say as to what the new man's priority should be.

Cumbria Police will have a new chief constable by August.

Crime commissioner Richard Rhodes has advertised the position after the announcement came that Bernard Lawson, who has held the role temporarily, is to retire in June.