Chris Johnson: West Midlands ACC has Motor Neurone Disease

Chris Johnson wants to be a role model to his two children

A top police officer has vowed to work for as long as possible after being diagnosed with Motor Neurone Disease.

Chris Johnson had only recently been appointed Assistant Chief Constable for West Midlands Police when he fell ill.

Doctors gave him the news shortly after he returned from Florida - a family holiday to celebrate his new position.

"For me being positive means carrying on with my job," he said. "And I am very lucky and grateful that I am able to do that."

Mr Johnson, who is married with two children, was promoted last April, almost three decades after joining the police.

"In 28 years I'd only ever had two days off sick and that was following an assault on duty," he said.

"I just never really got ill − I didn't even get coughs and colds − so the diagnosis was, it's fair to say, a bit of a surprise."

Motor Neurone Disease (MND) is a terminal condition that attacks the nerves in the brain and spinal cord, eventually stopping muscles from functioning.

But Mr Johnson said he would continue serving the public and praised the force for making some adaptations to help him.

'Role model'

Among his responsibilities are overseeing response units, police dogs, traffic policing, the contact centre and firearms.

There is no cure for MND, but Mr Johnson said he was able to manage some of the symptoms.

"I have this illness and there is nothing I can do about that but I do have a choice about how I feel about it. And I choose not to let it define me," he said.

"I need to be positive. I need to come to work and I need to add value.

"I need to make my kids see me as a role model. I need to try and at least see something positive out of what's happening to me."