Police chief reflects on his first year in the job

The head of Humberside Police has reflected on his first 12 months in the role.

In an open letter sent to the police and crime commissioner, Chief Constable Chris Todd has detailed the force's achievements and improvements, ahead of a report into the force that will be published later this week.

He said: "Our focus on victims and communities will be unwavering, and I will ensure our workforce focus remains equally strong to keep our people in the best possible shape to deliver this."

HM Inspectorate of Constabulary and Fire & Rescue Services (HMICFRS) will publish a report on Thursday after it assessed the efficiency of the force.

Todd, who was previously assistant chief constable of the Police Service of Northern Ireland, became Humberside chief constable on 7 April last year.

In his letter, Todd said he was appointed at a time when leadership in the force "needed stabilising".

He said the force was "no longer in the right shape to meet the shifts in demand over recent years" and had a workforce that was "no longer affordable", but he had helped "address £2.5m of required savings in 2025/26".

Todd claimed the force's call handling performance and response times were "among the best in the country".

The letter stated that the force receive 1,300 calls each day, answering 999 calls within three seconds and calls to 101 in six seconds.

In terms of investigations, Todd referenced the work involved leading up to Robert Bush from Legacy Funeral Directors in Hull pleading guilty last week to multiple charges.

He also mentioned the conviction of the Russian captain responsible for the fatal North Sea shipping crash.

"The decisive action, professionalism and commitment of all involved saw justice delivered for the Pernia family in circumstances that drew global geopolitical attention," he wrote.

"This is only the start and as HMICFRS will no doubt point out there is more for me to do," the letter concluded.

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