Gwent Police’s Temporary Chief Constable is to be put forward for the top job on a permanent basis, the force has announced.
Jeff Farrar has been in temporary charge of Gwent Police since June this year after former chief constable Carmel Napier was controversially forced out by Police and Crime Commissioner Ian Johnston.
Mr Johnston had issued her with an ultimatum to retire or be sacked and the former police chief accused him of “menacing and bullying” her out of the force – a claim he has denied.
Mr Farrar, whose salary will be £133,068, will be confirmed as the force’s new Chief Constable on November 8 at a meeting of the Gwent Police and Crime Panel after being interviewed for the job on Monday. He was the only candidate to apply for the role.
Mr Johnston said: “I am delighted to nominate Jeff Farrar as my proposed candidate for Chief Constable. During the time I have worked with Jeff Farrar he has proved himself to be a highly competent and effective officer, the kind of leader Gwent Police needs at this time.”
Mr Farrar, who has served the public as a Police Officer for 29 years, joined Gwent Police from South Wales Police in 2009 having been appointed as Assistant Chief Constable. He was then promoted to Deputy Chief Constable in April 2011.
He said: “I am honoured to have been chosen as the proposed candidate for the role of Chief Constable, and look forward to the opportunity to address the members of the Police and Crime Panel next month.”
No surprises here then?.
May we now look forward to new ` dawn` in respect to the residents of Gwent being consulted on issues of Policing which effect us?, one of the `issues` the Commissioner had highlighted in the Carmel Napier affair was his grave concerns that she, as Chief Constable, had failed the people she served in her failure to consult anyone about her plans for re-organisation of much of the policing policies and police station closures in Gwent Police. ( She did attend Meetings of Local Councils, community and Town Councils, to outline her plans but those meetings were NEVER made public before they happened therefore denying the opportunity for members of the public to attend)
I note that the Chief Constables current Assistant has been holding ` forums`, ( Specially held Meetings), with local Councillors who represent communities throughout Gwent, her intention is that much of the `consultation` with local people will be conducted via these elected Councillors in the future.
I for one have absolutely no confidence that my local ward members, ( One of whom was appointed to represent Caerphilly Town Council on this panel,) will alter the habits of a lifetime and start consulting citizens, and networking information to residents from Gwent Police in the future, neither am I confident that views and concerns of residents will be conveyed the other way to the Chief Constable.
So, if the new Chief and his assistants and deputies think the process of conducting public consultation through such `forums` of invited elected Councillors will demonstrate a better or higher level of public consultation ( With the People the Police want to reach) they need to think again, they WILL be disappointed.
Lets hope that this Chief Constable will listen to the concerns and views of the people he states he is so proud to serve.