Cambridgeshire Constabulary has appointed a new deputy chief constable.

Commander Jane Gyford, who is currently responsible for all operational policing and security in the City of London, will join the force on May 13, and succeeds DCC Alan Baldwin, who will retire from the force after three years in the role.

Chief Constable Nick Dean said: “I am delighted that Jane has accepted this position and I look forward to working with her in the coming years.

“Jane brings with her a wealth of both operational experience and business skills, which I believe will help support and develop the force to provide the best possible service we can for the people of Cambridgeshire.

“I would also like to thank DCC Baldwin for his time with the force and his work to support the Bedfordshire, Cambridgeshire and Hertfordshire collaboration.”

Ms Gyford said: “I have been impressed with the work I have seen in Cambridgeshire and am very much looking forward to joining the team to support the chief constable in the delivery of the police and crime plan.

“I am keen to carry on the collaborative work that has already progressed with Bedfordshire Police and Hertfordshire Constabulary as part of the tri-force collaboration and to continue to develop the local policing review that was implemented last year.”

Commander Gyford has 27 years policing experience. She joined the Metropolitan Police in March 1992 and served in a number of policing areas including: public protection/ safeguarding, national counter terrorism/domestic extremism intelligence, child abuse and sexual exploitation, anti-corruption proactive investigations, homicide and major incident enquiries, Specialist Firearms and organisational change.

In a previous role as deputy national co-ordinator for domestic extremism and strategic protest intelligence for the UK, she led on the Olympic torch delivery through the UK, and Olympic and Paralympic Games in London within the national domestic extremism unit. She was awarded a commissioner’s commendation for professionalism, and was awarded leader of 2012 for her role during this event.

She joined the City of London Police in June 2016 as detective chief superintendent heading up the intelligence and information directorate. There she oversaw the screening and assessment of force intelligence, and informed and shaped the force’s tasking and co-ordination process to give direction and accountability to its resources. She became commander operations and security for the City of London Police in February 2017, holding responsibility for all policing operations and investigations, and protective security.