Devon and Cornwall Police appoint new Deputy Chief Constable

Assistant Chief Constable Bill Skelly will be joining Devon and Cornwall Police from Police Scotland where he is currently working on the safety and security of the 2014 Commonwealth Games.

Mr Skelly was selected after a process last week and will take up his post on November 30, 2013.

Mr Skelly will replace temporary Deputy Chief Constable David Zinzan who has been with the Force since April 2012 and will be retiring when he departs his current role.

Mr Skelly joined Lothian and Borders Police in 1990. He successfully completed the Command Course at Bramshill in 2004, and graduated from Cambridge University with a Diploma in Applied Criminology. In 2005 he was seconded to New Scotland Yard, leading the immigration team within the Covert Policing Branch of the Metropolitan Police.

Returning to Lothian and Borders in 2006, he led on a number of national policing issues including Liquor Licensing,  CBRN, Public Protection and Ports Policing. In November 2007, he was appointed Assistant Chief Constable with responsibility for Crime and Operational Support, and for a period thereafter as Temporary Deputy Chief Constable.

In December the following year, he was seconded by Royal Warrant to become Her Majesty's Inspector of Constabulary for Scotland, assessing police forces and policing activity on behalf of the public.  In April 2013, he was appointed as the assistant chief constable for the Glasgow 2014 Commonwealth Games.

Mr Skelly has been a member of the Scottish advisory board for the children's charity, Places 2 Be, for a several years and remains a keen member of the Great Britain Police men's volleyball team. He is married with two children.

He said: “I’m delighted to be joining Devon and Cornwall Police and looking forward to the challenges this will bring. I thoroughly enjoyed the interview process this week and my family and I are looking forward to life in the south west."

Devon and Cornwall Chief Constable Shaun Sawyer welcomed Mr Skelly’s appointment.

He said: “We had a strong shortlist of candidates and Bill has been selected after a very tough process earlier this week.

“He brings a wealth of experience from Scotland and I’m sure this will be of great benefit to me and the rest of the Chief Officer Group in Devon and Cornwall.”