DEPUTY Chief Constable John Feavyour will retire in August after almost seven years serving with Cambridgeshire Constabulary.

Mr Feavyour joined Cambridgeshire Constabulary in 2004 as Assistant Chief Constable in the aftermath of the murders of Holly Wells and Jessica Chapman in Soham.

He became temporary Deputy Chief Constable in June 2005 and was made permanent in the role 18 months later.

The search for a new deputy chief constable begins next week and Mr Feavyour’s successor will be selected in June.

Mr Feavyour said: “I have given the Chief Constable notice of my retirement now to allow time for my successor to be recruited before I leave.

“The future of policing will contain many challenges as the country faces increased financial pressures and expectations on policing just keep on going up in a context of growing populations and relentless developments in technology.

“I have been part of Cambridgeshire Constabulary during a time of massive improvements in what we do.

“I am very proud to have worked with so many outstanding colleagues who have shown over and over again what it means to be part of the public sector and to spend your working life helping others and I will miss all that after August. In the meantime it will be business as usual.”

Chief Constable Simon Parr paid tribute to the departing Deputy Chief Constable.

He said: “John has been, and will continue to be until his last day at work, a huge part of the improvements we have made as a force over the years.

“There is no doubt his decision to retire after 30 years’ service is a big loss for the force but he will leave behind a significant legacy of change and improvement in policing both here in Cambridgeshire and nationally.”