Force's first female chief constable to retire

The first female chief constable of Derbyshire Police has announced she is to retire from the force in May.

Rachel Swann, who became chief constable in August 2020, is due to leave her role on 10 May.

"Policing has been such a huge part of my life for over 30 years, and serving the communities of Derbyshire has been the greatest privilege of my career," she said.

One of Swann's most high-profile roles was overseeing the evacuation of Whaley Bridge as deputy chief constable when a dam wall was damaged at Toddbrook Reservoir in 2019.

The senior officer made several media appearances after 1,500 people were evacuated from the town and later spoke out at "sexist and homophobic" abuse sparked by her hairstyle.

More recently, Swann warned the force faces a budget gap of more than £8.5m due to "external pressure".

She made the claims in a public letter, which said funding for police had "reached a critical point".

On announcing her retirement, Swann said she had always "sought for us to put victims at the heart of everything we do" and her role had been "an absolute privilege".

She added: "The officers, staff and volunteers serving the communities of Derbyshire do their best to improve the lives of those we serve, running towards danger and responding in extremely challenging circumstances.

"Whatever they face, Derbyshire's strength has always come from its people. The bravery, the dedication, the commitment to help others - policing really is a job like no other.

"As I look ahead to the next chapter, I am proud of all that we have achieved together, and I am confident that these strong foundations will provide a solid platform for the future, to help Derbyshire communities to flourish and to keep people safe."

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