Humberside’s new Chief Constable tells Chamber about growing pace of improvements at his force

Lee Freeman talking to Chamber members at the recent annual meeting.

POLICE and Crime Commissioner Keith Hunter and the new Chief Constable of Humberside Police, Lee Freeman, laid out their vision for the future of the force at the Chamber’s AGM.

Mr Hunter told guests that since being elected to the PCC role he had got to grips with Humberside Police and initiated a refresh of the chief officers team, and his new Chief Constable, Lee Freeman, was the visible evidence of those changes.

The Humberside force is on the biggest recruitment drive of any police force in the country and is looking to increase its staff by 500 officers, to around 1,800. He said the force was facing massive challenges, but these challenges also provided big opportunities.

Lee Freeman is a Grimsby lad who has served in the City of London and Lincolnshire Police forces during his career to date, and said he was proud to be appointed to the top job with Humberside Police in June 2017.

Mr Freeman told his audience that following an ill-fated programme of change in 2014/15, he has now set a new course. He believed in listening to his staff – and he also believed that the River Humber running through his force is a big strength, not a weakness.

The Chief Constable said he is now transforming Humberside Police at a rate which is unprecedented in policing and he said the staff were behind him and Keith Hunter because they have engaged with them and listened to their issues and concerns.

Mr Freeman said he expects his officers to treat the public with fairness, integrity, respect and professionalism, and in return expects his officers to be given the same respect by the public.

He said he had created the conditions for success and they now have to deliver it and Humberside Police has embarked on a two to three-year journey in terms of culture, pointing out that this was one of the few forces in the country to be investing heavily in neighbourhood policing aimed at building confidence in communities.

The efforts of Keith Hunter and Lee Freeman will be scrutinised in the Autumn, when the Annual Police Inspection takes place, but he promised that he is determined that his force won’t settle for second best.

Chamber Chief Executive Dr Ian Kelly said: “Keith and Lee impressed our members greatly with their determination, commitment and motivation. The Chamber has always been a big supporter of Humberside Police in the vital work they do in keeping our communities safe and tackling crime. We wish Keith and Lee the very best in their ambitions to build the best force possible for the future”.

The Chamber's AGM was sponsored Case Training.