About Me

I’m proud to have spent my entire life in Cumbria.

I grew up in the south of the county and went to school in Ulverston. Like many people starting out, I had a few different jobs before beginning my career in public service, including pulling pints behind the bar at the Cavendish Arms in Cartmel. Those early experiences taught me a lot about people, hard work and community, lessons that have stayed with me throughout my life.

My career in public service began in 1986 when I joined Cumbria Police as a village bobby in Burgh by Sands. From there, I went on to serve communities right across our county, including as a police officer in Wigton and later as a Sergeant in Barrow and Workington. Over the next 37 years, I worked at every level of policing, saw a lot of the world and was proud to help keep our country safe.

What I loved most about policing was always the people. Whether I was walking the beat in a village, working in one of our towns or leading larger teams, it was about helping people and making a difference where it mattered.

My career eventually took me to the national stage as Head of the UK’s Interpol Bureau. It was a tremendous privilege to lead national and international efforts against serious and organised crime, managing hundreds of staff and overseeing budgets worth hundreds of millions. But no matter where my career took me, Cumbria was always home.

After retiring from policing in 2016, I continued serving local people through the NHS helping to set up Cumbria’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic before being elected as your Police, Fire and Crime Commissioner in 2024.

People often ask why I got into politics. The truth is, I never planned to. Like many people, I found myself getting frustrated watching decisions being made that didn’t seem to reflect the realities of life in Cumbria. After one too many evenings shouting at the television, my wife finally told me to stop complaining and do something about it.

So I did.

Since being elected as Police, Fire and Crime Commissioner, I’ve worked hard to secure additional investment for our county, strengthen neighbourhood policing, support victims of crime and back the community organisations that make our communities stronger.

Outside of work, I’m a huge sports fan (particularly rugby) and firmly believe sport can change lives. That’s why I’ve been proud to support grassroots clubs, youth groups and community organisations across Cumbria. I also love spending time outdoors and you’ll often find me walking in the Lakes or out on my paddleboard.

Most of all, I’m proud to call Cumbria home. From growing up in South Cumbria and pulling pints in Cartmel, to serving communities across the county and leading the UK’s Interpol Bureau, Cumbria has shaped who I am. Everything I’ve done throughout my career has been guided by a simple belief: public service is about making people’s lives better.

That’s the approach I’ll always bring to serving our county.