Merseyside police chief announces retirement

Merseyside Police Chief Constable Serena Kennedy has said she will be retiring from the force at the end of August.

The Merseyside police chief who led the force following the attack on a Southport dance class has announced her retirement.

Chief Constable Serena Kennedy has said she will be retiring from the force at the end of August.

The announcement comes as she moves into the final 12 months of her five year contract as chief constable.

"The time is right for someone new to bring their vision and ideas to Merseyside Police and build on the work we have all done," chief constable Kennedy said.

Ms Kennedy, who started work as a police officer in Greater Manchester in 1993, worked at Cheshire Police before joining Merseyside Police as Assistant Chief Constable in 2017.

She became the force's first female chief constable in April 2021.

She said the made "the very difficult decision" after considering what was right for the communities, the force and her family.

"I have dedicated my entire working life to policing, and I now want to dedicate my time to other things, most importantly, my family," Chief Constable Kennedy said.

She said the force had dealt with a number of high-profile incidents, including the Southport knife attacks and the murders of Sam Rimmer, Ashley Dale, Olivia Pratt-Korbel, Jackie Rutter and Elle Edwards in her time in charge.

"Reflecting on my four years as chief constable, I could not be prouder. I am immensely proud of what the force has accomplished," she said.

The Police and Crime Commissioner will start the process of appointing chief constable Kennedy's successor later this month.

She said she would remain "fully committed" to her role as chief constable until her final day of service on 31 August 2025.

"I'm confident that the successful candidate will benefit from a smooth transition, due to the solid and steadfast foundations Serena has established," Merseyside Police Commissioner Emily Spurrell said.

"I wholeheartedly thank Serena for her service to policing and for her unwavering commitment to the people of Merseyside and whilst I'm sorry to see her leave us, I respect and commend her decision to devote more time to her family."