Police chief's 'retire and re-join' move defended

The PCC said Craig Guildford retired on 15 November and plans to apply to take up his role again next month

A "retire and re-join" option taken by the West Midlands' most senior police officer has been defended by the region's police and crime commissioner (PCC)

Craig Guildford retired as West Midlands Police's chief constable on 15 November, but has applied to take up the role again on 16 December in order to protect his pension, PCC Simon Foster said.

Mr Guildford has taken part in the countrywide scheme to help long-serving officers to stop their pension starting to fall in value after they have accrued 30 years' service.

Mr Foster said he would prefer police pensions did not operate in this way, but it was “a national problem and not of anyone’s making in the West Midlands”.

The Retire and Re-join scheme allows any officer to resign and take a break of at least one month, before being reappointed at the same rank.

It has also been used by PCCs in other force areas including in Bedfordshire, Derbyshire and Sussex.

'West Midlands' best interest'

Mr Foster said the scheme helped police forces “to retain capable, committed, experienced and knowledgeable officers like Mr Guildford”.

He added that using it to keep Mr Guildford was in the West Midlands’ best interest.

Mr Foster has indicated his support for Mr Guildford's proposed re-appointment, but the process must be concluded at a hearing of the West Midlands Police and Crime Panel.

Deputy Chief Constable Scott Green is currently acting chief constable.

West Midlands Police, the second largest force in the country, was placed under enhanced monitoring last year but the measures were removed in September after the force was deemed to have made improvements.