Merseyside Police appoints first female chief constable

The next chief constable to take charge of Merseyside's police force will be a woman for the first time in its history.

Deputy Chief Constable Serena Kennedy, who is currently at Merseyside Police, will succeed Andy Cooke when he leaves the role in April.

Ms Kennedy joined the force as assistant chief constable in 2017.

She said she was "absolutely delighted" and "incredibly proud" to be appointed and was "looking forward" to the job.

Ms Kennedy went before a confirmation panel led by the Merseyside Police and Crime Commissioner (PCC) Jane Kennedy earlier.

The new chief constable said: "I'm looking forward to enhancing our community first approach to policing, which has the public firmly at the heart of everything we do.

"The last 12 months have been particularly challenging for everyone, including the police service, and I am committed to working with communities, partners and my staff to maintain our first class service."

PCC Kennedy said: "She will be a fantastic ambassador for the both the force and the region.

"It gave me great pleasure to announce that I had elected her to become the force's first female chief constable. To do that on International Women's Day was the icing on the cake.

"I am grateful to the panel for its endorsement of my selected candidate today."

The Liverpool Watch Committee formed the borough's police force in 1835.

Women were first recruited for Merseyside Police during the first world war, but were not given powers of arrest until 1947.

About a quarter of staff at the force are currently women.

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