Thin blue line gets
THE leader of the West’s biggest police force yesterday joined the exodus of chief constables from English constabularies.
Chief Constable Andy Marsh, who heads Avon and Somerset Police, announced he would not be seeking to have his contract renewed when it expires in July.
He had joined the Avon and Somerset force as a new recruit fresh out of Liverpool University in 1987 and ascended to the top job in 2016, after a career that also saw him lead Hampshire Police and hold senior roles in Wiltshire.
Yesterday, he said it was the “right time” to leave after more than 30 years of service, but the word retirement was conspicuous by its absence from his announcement.
He has led Avon and Somerset Police during a tumultuous period with his force hitting the headlines in recent weeks after a series of clashes with protesters opposed to the Police, Crime, Courts and Sentencing Bill.
After the first protest turned violent, with police vans torched and Bridewell Police station in Bristol being attacked, subsequent protests saw more robust policing.
I feel it is the right time for me to embark on a new challenge ANDY MARSH
Some however accused police officers of heavy-handedness on occasions.
It comes less than a year after the statue of slave trader Edward Colston was toppled during the Black Lives Matters protest of June 2020.
The policing of that protest in Bristol divided opinion, with many praising Avon and Somerset for avoiding the mass gathering turning violent.
Others, including Home Secretary Priti Patel, took a different view, with some reports at the time saying “she read the riot act” to Mr Marsh.
He has also led the force, which has nearly 3,000 officers, during the unprecedented challenge of the coronavirus pandemic, and his leadership was warmly endorsed by rank and file officers yesterday.
Mr Marsh is the fifth chief constable of an English force in three months to announce he is stepping down, following in the footsteps of his counterparts in Warwickshire, Staffordshire, Norfolk and West Mercia .
According to Police Patrol magazine, his announcement means that almost a third of the 43 police forces in England and Wales are looking for a new chief constable or have one who has been in post for less than a year.
The upcoming police and crime commissioner elections next month have been suggested as a reason for flux at the top of so many forces.
There is a widespread feeling among senior police officers that newly elected commissioners are often keen to appoint their own chief rather than deal with an established figure.
But Mr Marsh, who is in his mid50s, yesterday gave few clues as to what had influenced his thinking.
He said: “To leave a force I first joined in 1987 has been a difficult decision to make, but I feel it is the right time for me to embark on a new challenge and for another person to take the helm and continue on the journey to make Avon and Somerset Police the outstanding force it deserves to be.
“It’s been the honour of a lifetime to lead a force filled with officers, staff and volunteers who live and breathe our values of being a caring, courageous, inclusive and a learning-led organisation.
“I’m very proud of their achievements and the work they do every day to serve and protect the public.
“Along with society, the world of policing has undergone a seismic shift since I joined in the late 1980s in terms of culture, attitude and professionalism, and from my role as NPCC lead for international policing, I know our model of policing remains very much the envy of the world.
“One of my enduring passions in my policing career has been my national role in advancing and promoting the use of Body Worn Video (BWV).
“I truly believe the advancement of BVW affords the police greater legitimacy and accountability in the eyes of the public.”