Chief Constable Pippa Mills announces departure from West Mercia

Image caption, Chief Constable Pippa Mills pledged to rebuild trust in police after she joined the force in 2021

The chief constable of West Mercia Police Pippa Mills has announced she is to leave after two years in the role.

Ms Mills, whose career started with the Metropolitan Police, said she has accepted a new role with the force as assistant commissioner.

She said it had been "an incredible privilege" to serve Worcestershire, Herefordshire and Shropshire.

An interim chief constable will be sought to replace her.

Ms Mills, the force's first female boss, started in September 2021 and pledged to do "everything" she could to rebuild damage to the public's trust in police after she said confidence had become "eroded" following the death of Sarah Everard, who was murdered and kidnapped by a Met Police officer.

Under her tenure, the number of officers has reached nearly 2,500, more than in the force's history.

Ms Mills, who joined West Mercia from Essex Police as deputy chief constable, said her new appointment was "bittersweet" as it meant she was leaving behind "an incredible force, made of up of officers, staff and volunteers that are passionate and dedicated to delivering a quality policing service."

"In my two years here the police service nationally has faced some of the biggest ever challenges and that's why I'm particularly proud that we have maintained high levels of public confidence levels in the force," she said.

Police and Crime Commissioner, John Campion, will now begin a process to ensure an interim chief constable is identified ahead of a full selection process.

Follow 大象传媒 West Midlands on , and . Send your story ideas to: newsonline.westmidlands@bbc.co.uk