Kent Police: New chief constable not afraid to arrest officers

Tim Smith has was appointed as Chief Constable on Tuesday

The new chief constable of Kent Police has said he is not afraid to arrest and charge police officers who break the law.

Tim Smith was appointed on Tuesday after working as acting chief constable since 3 October.

The previous chief constable, Alan Pughsley, stepped down in September after nine years in charge.

Mr Smith said the people of Kent should always feel safe, including when around police officers.

He said a key part of his strategy was an "internal focus" to ensure staff behave to the standards that the public expect, and that he had "no qualms" arresting officers when necessary.

"I'm talking thankfully about a very, very small minority of Kent Police staff, but those that do breach those standards, we do deal with them robustly," he said.

"We are answerable to the criminal laws of this land - the same as every other member of the public.

"Though it gives me absolutely no pleasure to say it, we have had to arrest on occasions police officers, and indeed we've charged police officers with serious criminal offences over this last year."

'Feeling the pinch'

Mr Smith, who was previously the force's deputy chief constable, has been a police officer for more than 30 years and previously investigated the raid at the Securitas depot in Tonbridge in 2006 - Britain's biggest cash robbery.

He said his biggest challenge was that the force has been "feeling the pinch" financially.

"I think we may have to save as much as £30m over the next four years," he said.

"That's a significant amount of money, so I've got to work very hard with my senior leaders to work out how can we continue to deliver all these services to the level that we want and the public deserve, while also making those savings."

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