The current Chief Constable for Dorset Police has been named as the preferred candidate to be appointed as Hampshire's next chief.

Should his appointment be approved by the Hampshire and Isle of Wight Police and Crime Panel on November 21, CC Scott Chilton will be appointed in his new role after 15 months in post leading Dorset.

Following today's news, Dorset PCC David Sidwick, who appointed his new chief in July last year, told Police Oracle: "I respect and understand his [CC Chilton's] decision."

He added: “Chief Constable Scott Chilton had previously informed me that he was interviewing for the role in Hampshire and, earlier today, I was further notified that he would be announced as the preferred candidate for Chief Constable for Hampshire Constabulary."

After joining Hampshire Constabulary in 1992, CC Chilton left the force to become Dorset's Deputy Chief Constable in 2020. He was appointed as the force's Chief Constable the following July on a five-year contract.

PCC Sidwick, confirmed at that time that CC Chilton was the only appointable candidate for the role.

He said: "His [CC Chilton's] appointment as Deputy was made against a strong field of applicants, with a recognition that the current Chief Constable was nearing retirement, and the successful candidate had the potential to step up in rank in the relatively near future.”

The Dorset PCC Police and Crime Panel were advised that having a small pool of suitable applicants made recruitment difficult.

This development sees Dorset become the sixth force searching for a new chief constable, with Surrey, Bedfordshire, Northumbria, Wiltshire and Kent all looking for new leaders.

Should his appointment be approved, CC Chilton will officially take up his new role next spring following the departure of Hampshire's current chief.

CC Olivia Pinkney is set to leave policing for good in April 2023. Currently on a four-month secondment to the Strategic Command Course, she will return to Hampshire in mid-December to oversee Uplift and the handover to her successor.

Hampshire's PCC, Donna Jones, said: "Scott is a highly experienced senior police officer and I am very much looking forward to working closely with him as I continue to deliver on my Police and Crime Plan and support the force to provide an outstanding service to the public.”