Cheshire’s new Deputy Chief Constable

Following a selection process, Julie Cooke has been appointed Deputy Chief Constable at Cheshire Constabulary.

Julie joined the force in February 2019 in an acting capacity after moving across from Merseyside – where she served for over 27 years. She has worked as a uniformed officer at all ranks and was previously an Assistant Chief Constable for Local Policing and Criminal Justice at Merseyside.

Following the appointment Deputy Chief Constable (DCC) Cooke said: “Since joining Cheshire I’ve got a really good feel for the organisation and am delighted to have been appointed as Deputy Chief Constable. Cheshire is a very positive, professional and forward thinking force, something that has been reflected in recent HMICFRS reports.

“What I bring is a different experience in coming from a metropolitan force. I think having new people with different experiences encourages questions to be asked to help see how things fit together and how we can build on the already very positive work in order to improve.

Speaking about her priorities for the coming months DCC Cooke added: “My background is in local policing, so the Chief Constable’s focus on neighbourhood policing is something I am keen to help deliver. We are also seeing a rise in the challenges linked to cyber crime and need to keep investing to deal with this now as well as preparing for the future.

“I’m also really looking forward to working with the staff networks. I’m the national Chief Officer LGBT+ lead and am passionate about people being able to be themselves at work, which in turn helps deliver the best possible service to the diverse communities of Cheshire.”

Chief Constable Darren Martland said: “I’m delighted to welcome Julie to the Chief Officer team and am looking forward to working with her on a permanent basis. Since joining us in February Julie has had a very positive impact and brings a wealth of experience and skills to the Constabulary. I’d like to personally congratulate Julie on her appointment and look forward to drawing on her expertise as we continue with our work to make Cheshire even safer.”