North Yorkshire Police chief chases suspect on first day

Dave Jones said it was "good to muck in" on his first day as the new chief constable

The new chief constable of North Yorkshire has chased a suspect just an hour after starting his job.

Dave Jones was visiting Catterick Garrison Police Station on Monday when reports came in of a man being assaulted in Richmond town centre.

He joined officers who stopped three men in their 20s, but one of the suspects ran off and the chief gave chase.

Mr Jones started his job at midnight and the call came in 50 minutes later.

The suspect was spotted trying to climb over a wall down an alley and Mr Jones and another officer went after him.

The other officer arrested the man on suspicion of affray, a spokesman for the force said.

Two other men were also arrested. All three were released on police bail pending further inquiries.

Mr Jones said: "It was important for me to get out and see the officers on the ground as soon as possible and it was good to be able to muck in with them so soon into my first shift.

"It was great to get involved, though, and it was good to be out there with them on the front line."

He was visiting the station as part of a tour of the county on his first day in the role. Catterick Garrison was the first stop for the new chief.

Mr Jones joined North Yorkshire Police from the Police Service of Northern Ireland, where he was an assistant chief constable.