Applications for Lincolnshire’s next Chief Constable are now closed and the next stage of the recruitment process has began. Incumbent Bill Skelly is due to retire this December.

A two day process at the beginning of September will put questions from officers and staff in a Q&A, with all candidates answering the same questions.

The second day will involve an informal stakeholder panel followed by final interviews.

Lincolnshire’s Police and Crime Commissioner, Marc Jones, said the point of the Q&A was to make sure the organisation “feels included in what is a very key process”.

He told Police Oracle: “It's really important the people who are on the front line delivering these services that are vital to the public feel ownership of their own organisation.”

He also said: “It's to really give candidates a platform to understand what's on the mind of the organisation but also to put across if they are successful, what their approach will be to tackling some of those things that are on the mind of the people around the organisation.

“Equally it will help the organisation feel part of this process and actually feel that this is a process to deliver a Chief Constable for them. It's not just about a PCC going ‘Well, which one do I want?’ It's absolutely vital that we include the people that directly affects and lead their organisation.”

Staff associations including the Federation, Superintendents' Association and UNISON were consulted from the outset on what the important elements of being a Chief Constable so their input could be included in the job description. The staff associations were apparently “very grateful” for the opportunity to be involved.

Officers and staff can submit their questions and interesting in attending the event on the 2nd September via the force intranet.

PCC Jones added they already received a high number of questions and requests to attend.

A message to all @LincsPolice Officers and staff. As part of Chief Constable recruitment process I’m holding a Q&A session with YOUR questions put to candidates. Please see intranet for details, to add your Q suggestions and express interest in being at the event on 2nd Sept.

— Marc Jones PCC (@MarcJonesLincs) August 19, 2020