Northumbria Police chief constable Winton Keenen announces retirement

Chief constable of Northumbria Police Winton Keenen has announced his retirement after 38 years working for the force.

Mr Keenen said it has been an "absolute privilege" to serve as chief constable and will remain in post until March 2023 to oversee a smooth transition.

He said: "As a Northumbria officer my whole policing career, holding the position as chief constable of my home force has truly been an honour.

"As I approach leaving the force, I remain absolutely certain, despite its many challenges, there is no more worthwhile vocation than policing and no better place to practise it than here in Northumbria.

"This amazing region of ours is such a fantastic place to live, work and visit and I feel it is now the right time to hand over to someone who can bring fresh ideas to help make it even better."

Mr Keenen, who was appointed chief constable in 2018, leaves after overseeing a recent inspection by His Majesty's Inspectorate of Constabulary and Fire and Rescue Services, which congratulated Northumbria Police on its performance.

It was rated as "good" in seven of nine areas, but was told improvement was required in its response to members of the public, with only 73% of 999 calls answered within 10 seconds against national guidelines of 90%.

The recruitment process for the new chief constable will be led by Northumbria Police and Crime Commissioner Kim McGuinness.

Ms McGuinness said: “I want to thank Winton for his incredible contribution to Northumbria Police, not only for his leadership but for his entire career dedicated to public service and keeping the people of Northumberland, Tyne and Wear safe.

“It's been a real privilege to work alongside such a respected and experienced officer and particularly someone who shares a passion for our region and its people."

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