Met Assistant Commissioner and PCPI Director Martin Hewitt to lead National Police Chiefs’ Council

Current Chair Sara Thornton will leave the post in March 2019 after serving a four year term.

Chief constables were invited to apply for the post of Chair of NPCC in October. Assistant Commissioner Martin Hewitt applied for the post and, in accordance with election rules, has been appointed.

AC Hewitt began his policing career with Kent Police in 1993 and transferred to the Metropolitan Police Service in 2005. He is currently responsible for frontline policing which includes local policing and specialist crime commands across London.

He has led at national level on the police response to adult sexual offences and kidnap and has held the post of NPCC Vice Chair since 2015.

Assistant Commissioner Martin Hewitt said: “I am looking forward to leading the NPCC’s important work from next April and building on the strong foundations that Sara has laid.”

NPCC Chair Sara Thornton said: “I’m delighted that Martin will be the new Chair of the National Police Chiefs’ Council in April 2019.

“He’s a hugely experienced operational chief, who has dealt with some of policing’s toughest challenges. I have every confidence that he will be a great leader.”

The National Police Chiefs’ Council enables independent chief constables and their forces to work together to improve policing for the public. The NPCC coordinates the operational response across the service to the threats face in the UK, such as terrorism, crime and national emergencies.

Through Chief Constables’ Council, the leaders of service take important decisions about how they will operate to meet the demands of the day. Chief Officers speak on behalf of the NPCC to explain the operational police response on a range of issues to the public and to government.

PCPI is often referred to by its most successful crime prevention initiative, Secured by Design. It is a police-owned organisation that works on behalf of the Police Service throughout the UK to deliver a range of crime prevention and demand reduction initiatives.

PCPI Board Members include senior police officers from each of the four Home Nations who control and direct the work PCPI carries out on behalf of the Police Service.