Cambridgeshire Police appoint Alec Wood as new chief constable

Chief Constable Alec Wood began his police career in Lincolnshire and also worked on high-profile cases in Derbyshire

A new chief constable has been appointed to lead Cambridgeshire Police.

Alec Wood, who began his career in Lincolnshire in 1986, has taken over the role from Simon Parr, who retired in July.

Mr Wood, who was the only candidate for the post, said he was "honoured" but "under no illusion of the scale of the challenges ahead".

He was appointed following a meeting of the police and crime panel.

Cambridgeshire's Police and Crime Commissioner (PCC), Sir Graham Bright, who had announced Mr Wood as his preferred candidate for the position, described him as "a trusted, respected and capable person taking the helm of the county's police force".

High-profile cases

"Throughout the rigorous recruitment process, Alec demonstrated his vision for the future of the constabulary and how the force will develop to meet the challenges ahead," he said.

Chairman of the police and crime panel, councillor Jason Ablewhite, said both the PCC and panel had "carried out a thorough and challenging process to ensure Cambridgeshire gets the right person for the role".

Since joining the police service almost 30 years ago, Mr Wood has held roles in both uniform and CID.

He has overseen a number of high-profile investigations including the murder of schoolboy Luke Walmsley in Lincolnshire in 2003 and the murder of Jia Ashton in Derbyshire in 2011.

He joined Cambridgeshire Police in 2013 as deputy chief constable and has been the temporary chief constable since July.