New Merseyside police chief constable confirmed
The new chief constable for Merseyside Police has been confirmed as Rob Carden.Chief Constable Carden, who is from Liverpool and is the current chief constable of Cumbria, will replace Serena Kennedy when she retires at the end of August.Merseyside police and crime commissioner (PCC) Emily Spurrell announced two weeks ago that Mr Carden, who has more than 30 years of policing experience, was her preferred choice to take over the role. Mr Carden said it was "a genuine honour and privilege" to return to the organisation he first joined in 1992.
The appointment has been approved by the region's Police and Crime Panel.
Mr Carden, who is married with three sons, said he was "thrilled" to take on the role."My father served Merseyside Police for over 33 years and I was extremely proud to follow in his footsteps when I joined the organisation in 1992," he said."To now be returning to the organisation as chief constable and to lead the organisation which has been such a big part of my family is a genuine honour and privilege."Merseyside Police is already an outstanding organisation which is rightly recognised as one of the best police services in the country."I am committed to building on Serena's legacy and ensuring I lead a workforce which takes pride in delivering an excellent service to our communities, protecting those who are vulnerable, keeping our streets safe and ensuring offenders face justice."
Commenting on the panel's endorsement, Ms Spurrell said Mr Carden "fully understands the unique challenges of policing our region and has the leadership experience and clear strategic thinking needed to maintain the exceptional reputation and standards of Merseyside Police and to drive the organisation forward".She said he had "exceptional experience, is very well respected in the policing community and has shown his ability to lead in some very challenging situations".Chief Constable Serena Kennedy KPM said she was "delighted" at the news.She said Mr Carden was a "respected leader" who, as assistant chief constable, had managed the response to the Covid pandemic.Ms Kennedy added that he had been gold commander for "numerous events and incidents, including the terrorist incident at Liverpool Women's Hospital" in 2021."I know he is passionate about the force and providing the people of Merseyside with a first-class police service and I wish him every success for the future," she said.Mr Carden will be appointed chief constable for a period of five years.
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