A NEW face has taken over as the regional director for the Independent Office for Police Conduct for the North-East.

Miranda Biddle's main role will be to oversee all investigations covering the Cleveland, Durham, North Yorkshire, Northumbria, Humberside, South Yorkshire and West Yorkshire police forces, as well as cases involving HM Revenue and Customs and the ports of Hartlepool and Tees.

The IOPC took over from the Independent Police Complaints Commission last month following a major expansion of its work.

Having worked within the criminal justice system for more than 25 years Ms Biddle joins the IOPC from the Parole Board, where she was director of operations

Before that she was deputy director of Peterborough prison, and has worked for a number of establishments across the prison service, probation service, as well as psychology and drug services within the statutory, independent and private sectors.