A NEW chief constable is set to step in to the top role at Cleveland Police, a mere 12 months on from the last time an officer took on the job.

Temporary chief constable of Dyfed-Powys Police, Richard Lewis, was revealed as the frontrunner for the top job at the troubled force less than two weeks ago by Police and Crime Commissioner Barry Coppinger.

On Tuesday evening, Mr Lewis was grilled by a police and crime panel after being selected from a shortlist of seven other chief ranked officers.

The job was recently vacated by Mike Veale, who resigned less than a year into his tenure.

Mr Lewis was quizzed by councillors in Stockton Town Hall who announced their agreement to his appointment on Wednesday evening. He will now begin a five-year contract with the force in May.

During the Cleveland Police and Crime Panel on Tuesday night, Mr Lewis made clear his commitment to the role, citing longevity, and building public trust and confidence within the force as his top priorities.

Councillor Matt Vickers asked what experience Mr Lewis had to combat high crime rates in Cleveland compared to low crime rates in the Dyfed-Powys force area.

Mr Lewis said: “It is right to say that Dyfed-Powys has one of the lowest crime rates in England and Wales.

“But hidden within that are some of the areas of the highest deprivation in Wales. Occasionally those places can be swamped by the quieter places and the statistics can be warped to reflect that.

“My experience locally has been around policing some of the most deprived communities in England and Wales – you have some of those communities here.

“The experience I have, yes, is around rural policing, but pocketed within that are some of the busier areas, with high levels of opioid deaths and all the other issues associated with post-industrial environments.”

He added: “Cleveland looks very much like the place I’m from – there is a familiarity with the style of policing and I’m also from a community that is very similar to the communities of Cleveland.

“As well as the professional policing experience I’ve gained, I’m from an area just like this. It looks and feels like home.”

The Cleveland Police and Crime Panel are expected to make a decision on the proposed appointment of Mr Lewis within five days.