Humberside Police chief constable to leave force

Chief Constable of Humberside Police Lee Freeman said it was a difficult decision to leave the force

The chief constable of Humberside Police has been appointed to a new role as a national inspector of police and fire and rescue services.

Chief Constable Lee Freeman has been in the role since May 2017 and will leave to take up his new job in the summer.

The former Lincolnshire Police officer has been appointed as His Majesty's Inspector of Constabulary and Fire and Rescue Services by the home secretary.

He said he was "delighted" but that it was an "incredibly difficult" decision.

Under Mr Freeman's leadership, the force has gone from being in special measures to receiving a grade of outstanding from His Majesty's Inspector of Constabulary and Fire and Rescue Services (HMICFRS).

"Humberside is my home force, and one that I have always felt privileged to have been able to lead over the last six years," he said.

'Outstanding workforce'

"I leave an outstanding force, with strong leadership throughout the organisation, an outstanding workforce, 750 more police officers swelling our ranks than what I inherited, and a strong financial base from which colleagues can ensure that the force continues to improve even further."

He said he was "confident that the team I leave behind will continue to listen to our communities and ensure that the force goes from strength to strength".

Mr Freeman has been a police officer for 30 years and began his career at City of London Police in 1993, before moving to Lincolnshire.

He was awarded the King's Police Medal in 2022 for his services to policing.

Jonathan Evison, Police and Crime Commissioner for Humberside, thanked Mr Freeman for his work and said: "I know he will apply his leadership and experience to his new role with HMICFRS with great success, making a further contribution to policing on a national level."

He said a recruitment campaign to appoint the force's next chief constable would begin soon.