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Receiving one application for retiring chief's job 'not unusual' says South Wales PCC

Chief Constable Peter Vaughan is due to retire.
Published - 05/09/2017 By - Sophie Garrod - Police Oracle

A deputy chief constable has been announced as a PCC's preferred candidate for the force's top job.

South Wales Police and Crime Commissioner Alun Michael announced his intention to appoint DCC Matt Jukes - the only person who applied for the job - chief constable from January 1, 2018.

The decision is subject to scrutiny by the Police and Crime Panel for South Wales, which will meet this Friday, to consider the PCC’s decision and whether to endorse it.

CC Peter Vaughan QPM will retire at the end of December.

Mr Michael said: “The force has come through a tough and challenging period of years in good shape thanks to Peter’s strong leadership, but the future is also going to be tough and challenging so we need an outstanding leader to take South Wales Police to a new level, working ever more closely with partners and enabling communities to be safe and confident.

“I am certain and confident that in Matt Jukes we have the right person – an outstanding leader with the integrity, the personality, the intellect, the skills and a strong personal commitment to South Wales and to our people.

“To have a single applicant is not unusual at this level of policing, and there was no doubt in my mind about the calibre and quality of the candidate. But that is not enough, and I decided to put in place what is probably the most stringent process of scrutiny and challenge that has ever been used for an appointment of this sort.

“Indeed, it became a more stringent process, involving four separate expert panels last week. Those panels questioned the candidate on police ethics, financial management, partnership working in the public sector and the criminal justice system and work with the voluntary and community sector.

"The panel recommended unanimously that I should proceed to make the appointment.”

CC Vaughan said: “I am thrilled with the nomination of Matt Jukes as the preferred candidate to become the next Chief Constable of South Wales Police.

"I have had the pleasure of working with Matt for the last seven years and consider him to be an individual with huge professional and practical experience. He cares passionately about the communities we serve and the people who make up South Wales Police. I know he will make a positive difference.”

DCC Jukes added: “I look forward to meeting the Police and Crime Panel on Friday – I’m delighted and humbled to be recommended to them.

“Working with Peter has been a master-class and the opportunity to take the force forward is a tremendous privilege. I’m very proud of our people and our many partnerships that have done so much to keep South Wales safe. But we cannot stand still against the challenges we now face and with the panel’s support, I am determined to maintain our progress in preventing crime and protecting our communities."

DCC Jukes joined the police service in 1995 and became Deputy Chief Constable of South Wales Police in August 2013.

Last year Police Oracle reported that more than half of chief constables appointed by police and crime commissioners in 2015 were the sole candidate for the job.

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