Cleveland's new assistant chief constable looking forward to writing new chapter for force

Mr Spittal is currently serving as Assistant Chief Constable in North Yorkshire Police and will take up his post at the end of June.

Chief Constable of Cleveland Police Jacqui Cheer said: “I am absolutely delighted to welcome Iain to the team; his commitment and his enthusiasm make him the ideal person to support me in the leadership of the Force and the changes we will implement moving forward.

“The last 20 months have been tough, and I have introduced some significant changes to the Force. However our officers, staff, and police partner staff have risen to the challenge and continued to drive down crime during this period.

“I look forward to working with Iain to embed these changes and provide a framework in which Cleveland Police and our partners can provide excellent policing services to our local communities.”

Mr Spittal said "I am very much looking forward to joining Cleveland Police, bringing my own experiences to work with officers and staff who are committed to further reducing crime and antisocial behaviour.

"I am determined to ensure that we reduce harm, helping our communities to feel safer. I recognise that we can not achieve this on our own, particularly in the challenging financial environment, and look forward to building strong relationships with partners across Teesside.

"The "new" Cleveland Police is starting to take shape under the leadership of Chief Constable Cheer, I look forward to being an integral part of the journey in what is a new chapter for Cleveland Police."

Police and Crime Commissioner for Cleveland Barry Coppinger said: “I would like to congratulate Iain Spittal and welcome him to Cleveland.

“I look forward to working with him in the future to ensure that the people of Cleveland truly get the best from our police force and that crime and antisocial behaviour continue to reduce.”

Mr Spittal will be formally announced at a press conference this afternoon.