THE new Chief Constable of Gloucestershire has taken up office today.

Mick Matthews joined the Constabulary in October 2005 as an Assistant Chief Constable and was later promoted to Deputy Chief Constable in January 2010.

Mr Matthews is a former Commander of Adelaide city police in Australia.

He has also worked in the USA, examining the response of the FBI and New York Police Departments to the devastating events of 9/11.

His most recent role has involved leading a significant change programme in Gloucestershire – a programme which touches every part of the force.

On taking up his post today he said: “The Constabulary, and policing in general, is in the midst of enormous change and I see it as my job to lead us through that change ensuring that the quality of service we provide to the public of Gloucestershire remains consistently high.

“We must never lose sight of the fact that our basic role is dealing with criminals robustly to keep our communities safe.

"I want to maintain visible policing across Gloucestershire and our plans for the future involve making ourselves more accessible than ever before – but with fewer people working here that, inevitably, might look a little different.”

Rob Garnham, chairman of Gloucestershire Police Authority, said: “The Police Authority are delighted that Mr Matthews has been appointed as the Chief Constable today.

"He has a wealth of experience in the county and provides strong continuity as the Authority and Constabulary deliver policing in very challenging times. Mr Matthews is well-respected throughout the County and I know his appointment will be a popular one.”

Mr Matthews' appointment is temporary, for the next 18 months. He takes over from Tony Melville who announced his resignation six weeks ago.