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William Alan Skelly was the Chief Constable of
Lincolnshire Police
Lincolnshire Police is the territorial police force covering the non-metropolitan county of Lincolnshire in the East Midlands of England. Despite the name, the force's area does not include North East Lincolnshire and North Lincolnshire, which ...
in England. Skelly joined Devon and Cornwall Police from the Police Service of Scotland
Police Scotland ( gd, Poileas Alba), officially the Police Service of Scotland (), is the national police force of Scotland. It was formed in 2013, through the merging of eight regional police forces in Scotland, as well as the specialist service ...
in December 2013 where he had been Silver Commander for Safety and Security for the 2014 Commonwealth Games
The 2014 Commonwealth Games ( gd, Geamannan a' Cho-fhlaitheis 2014), officially known as the XX Commonwealth Games and commonly known as Glasgow 2014, ( sco, Glesca 2014 or Glesga 2014; gd, Glaschu 2014), was an international multi-sport ev ...
in Glasgow.
Early career
Skelly started his police career with Lothian and Borders Police in 1990 and held a number of posts across the force area. In 2004 Skelly completed the Strategic Command Course at thePolice Staff College, Bramshill
The Police Staff College, Bramshill, Bramshill House, Bramshill, (near Hook) Hampshire, England, was until 2015 the principal police staff training establishment in England and Wales.
History
The need for a training college for the police w ...
.
In 2005, he was seconded to New Scotland Yard
Scotland Yard (officially New Scotland Yard) is the headquarters of the Metropolitan Police, the territorial police force responsible for policing Greater London's 32 boroughs, but not the City of London, the square mile that forms London's ...
leading the Immigration Crime Team within the Covert Policing Branch of the Metropolitan Police
The Metropolitan Police Service (MPS), formerly and still commonly known as the Metropolitan Police (and informally as the Met Police, the Met, Scotland Yard, or the Yard), is the territorial police force responsible for law enforcement and ...
, followed by nine months in charge of the operational strands of the UK campaign targeting criminals involved in the trafficking of women for sexual exploitation. His work in this area was recognised by the award of his second Chief Constable's commendation.
On his return to Lothian and Borders, he led on a number of national policing issues including Liquor Licensing, CBRN, Public Protection and Ports Policing.
In 2007 he participated in the International Visitor Leadership Program The International Visitor Leadership Program (IVLP) is a professional exchange program funded by the U.S. Department of State's Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs. The mission of IVLP is to offer current and emerging international leader ...
organised by the US State Department and was made an honorary Colonel of Kentucky.
Her Majesty's Inspectorate of Constabulary for Scotland
In 2009 Skelly took up post as head ofHM Inspector of Constabulary
His Majesty's Inspectorate of Constabulary in Scotland (HMICS) is a public body of the Scottish Government and reports to the Scottish Parliament. It has statutory responsibility for the inspection of the effectiveness and efficiency of the ...
for Scotland
Scotland (, ) is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Covering the northern third of the island of Great Britain, mainland Scotland has a border with England to the southeast and is otherwise surrounded by the Atlantic Ocean to the ...
by Royal Warrant, on the retirement of Paddy Tomkins
Patrick Tomkins QPM was appointed HM Chief Inspector of Constabulary for Scotland by Royal Warrant in March 2007 and retired from the post in April 2009. He was formerly the Chief Constable of Lothian and Borders Police, which he joined in 2002 a ...
HMCIC. He was seconded from Lothian and Borders Police
Lothian and Borders Police was the territorial police force for the Scottish council areas of the City of Edinburgh, East Lothian, Midlothian, Scottish Borders and West Lothian between 1975 and 2013. The force's headquarters were in Fettes ...
where he was serving as temporary Deputy Chief Constable, having previously been the Assistant Chief Constable (Crime and Operational Support).
Police Service of Scotland
Skelly was appointed as Silver Commander for the Safety and Security operation in support of the 2014 Commonwealth Games at the inception of the Police Service of Scotland.Devon and Cornwall Police
In December 2013 Skelly was appointed as Deputy Chief Constable of Devon and Cornwall Police, replacing previous Deputy Chief Constable David Zinzan who retired at the end of November 2013.Lincolnshire Police
Skelly was appointed the role of Chief Constable of theLincolnshire Police
Lincolnshire Police is the territorial police force covering the non-metropolitan county of Lincolnshire in the East Midlands of England. Despite the name, the force's area does not include North East Lincolnshire and North Lincolnshire, which ...
in November 2016, with the role to begin in the February of the next year. Crime commissioner Marc Jones selected Skelly after the announcement that Neil Rhodes would retire in 2017. On 18 June 2020, it was announced that Skelly would retire from policing after 31 years, stepping down on 18 December 2020.
Skelly was awarded the Queen's Police Medal
The King's Police Medal (KPM) is awarded to police in the United Kingdom for gallantry or distinguished service. It was also formerly awarded within the wider British Empire, including Commonwealth of Nations, Commonwealth countries, most of whic ...
(QPM) in the 2021 New Year Honours
The 2021 New Year Honours are appointments by some of the 16 Commonwealth realms to various orders and honours to recognise and reward good works by citizens of those countries. The New Year Honours are awarded as part of the New Year celebration ...
.
Personal life
He grew up in the smallAngus
Angus may refer to:
Media
* ''Angus'' (film), a 1995 film
* ''Angus Og'' (comics), in the ''Daily Record''
Places Australia
* Angus, New South Wales
Canada
* Angus, Ontario, a community in Essa, Ontario
* East Angus, Quebec
Scotland
* An ...
village of Auchterhouse
Auchterhouse is a village, community, and civil parish in the Scottish council area of Angus, located north west of Dundee, south east of Alyth and south west of Forfar. It lies on the southern edge of the Sidlaw Hills, below Auchterhouse ...
, was educated locally at Newtyle and Harris Academy
Harris Academy is a co-educational comprehensive school in the West End of Dundee, Scotland. Harris Academy was founded in 1885 and is the oldest state school in Dundee. Harris Academy is also one of the largest state run schools in Dundee in ...
and went on to read Mathematics and Physics at The University of Edinburgh
The University of Edinburgh ( sco, University o Edinburgh, gd, Oilthigh Dhùn Èideann; abbreviated as ''Edin.'' in post-nominals) is a public research university based in Edinburgh, Scotland. Granted a royal charter by King James VI in 1582 ...
. Skelly also has a Diploma in Applied Criminology from Cambridge
Cambridge ( ) is a university city and the county town in Cambridgeshire, England. It is located on the River Cam approximately north of London. As of the 2021 United Kingdom census, the population of Cambridge was 145,700. Cambridge bec ...
.
He is the chair of Police Sport UK Volleyball Section. and in January 2009 reached the personal milestone of playing in a European match, as a member of the Great Britain Police Team competing against Finland.
Honours and awards
References