Northumbria Police’s next chief constable has vowed to be a “visible” presence and put more resources into combating crime in rural areas.
Vanessa Jardine has been officially confirmed as Winton Keenen’s successor in the top job after her appointment was signed off by a panel of councillors on Tuesday. She is due to take up the role in March and joins from West Midlands Police, where she is currently the deputy chief constable.
At a special hearing before the Northumbria Police and Crime Panel, Ms Jardine promised she would be a “visible” chief. Asked by Northumberland councillor Gordon Stewart how she planned to ensure the needs of more rural communities were addressed as well as urban ones, she vowed to designate key “impact areas” across the entire region that needed extra attention from police.
