New Falklands Chief Officer
Appointed from Lincolnshire
ONE of Lincolnshire’s most experienced police officers has been
appointed as Chief Officer of the Royal Falkland Islands Police. The
post was advertised worldwide but Chief Inspector Paul Elliott, who
completes 30 years service with Lincolnshire on October 2nd, has
been appointed to the post by the Falkland Islands Government.
Forty-eight year old Paul and his wife Alison will make the long
journey to the South Atlantic in September when he retires from
Lincolnshire. He joined the Force in 1977 and has served throughout
the County in a variety of operational roles. Latterly he has been
responsible for the Force’s strategic Citizen Focus area which
includes Quality of Service, Crime Reduction, Partnership and
Funding and Firearms Licensing.
“I’m flattered and absolutely delighted to have been chosen,” said
Paul. “I think my experience in citizen focussed and neighbourhood
policing influenced the interview panel because that is the policing
style they aspire to in the Falklands. Also, my front-line policing
experience at command level provides the operational awareness
and practical management skills for the job,” he said.
Paul will be going to the Falklands with the full support of the
Lincolnshire Police command team. Deputy Chief Constable Richard
Crompton said it was a great honour for the Force for Chief
Inspector Elliott to have been appointed as Chief Officer of the
Royal Falklands Islands Police. “We always knew that he was going
to be sorely missed when he retired. Paul’s wealth of experience will
be invaluable to them and we wish him every success in his new
role,” said Mr Crompton.
The Falkland Islands cover a land mass roughly the size of Wales.
The Royal Falkland Islands Police has a complement of thirteen
regular officers and ten specials. Paul Elliott says that in 2006, 95%
of the 209 crimes recorded were detected. “Most of the 2,000
resident population live in the main town, Stanley and 400 or so live
in the countryside. The next biggest town on East Falkland is Port
Howard where 20 people live and the school has one pupil and a
teacher who flies in once a month for a couple of days! There are
about 1500 military personnel stationed at the purpose-built base of
Mount Pleasant,” he says.
One of the priorities he has been set when he begins work is to
carry out a comprehensive review of the way the RFIP operates. He
has made contributions to international policing before with official
visits to Salt Lake City to develop a command and control priority
despatch system and Croatia where he led a delegation of
Lincolnshire Police officers to instruct on Neighbourhood Policing
and Crime Reduction. Paul participates at strategic level on a range
of County forums in the areas of diversity and community cohesion.
He has represented the Force on regional partnership forums and
has spoken at national conferences including one hosted by the
Commission for Rural Communities and at the Police Staff College at
Bramshill.
As Chief of Police for the Falkland Islands, Paul Elliott will also be
responsible for policing matters on South Georgia, the South
Sandwich Islands and the British Antarctic Territories. Whilst there
are as few as five residents at some of those locations, each year
there are thousands of cruise ship visitors to the Falklands and the
outer islands to admire the abundant wildlife and stunning scenery.
“In addition to the human population I’m told that there are six
million penguins and 600,000 sheep which, I’m also told produce
the best lamb in the world as it is truly organic with no pesticides
used anywhere,” he says.
Paul’s wife Alison, who is a school
catering manager is also looking forward to the experience and
intends to make the long winter evenings fly by and write a cookery
book!
In his spare time Paul has made numerous visits to Romania to
deliver items for the poor and needy. He is chairman of the
registered charity Romanian Aid Distribution which has established
clinics, a disability centre and set up a domestic violence refuge in
the country. He was recently honoured by the Romanian authorities
and made a ‘Friend of the City of Zalau’ in recognition of thirteen
years of charity work in the Salaj region of Transylvania.
Paul says he has a simple philosophy on life. “I believe that if a
person does not make a difference in life, then it makes no
difference that he has lived. I’m thoroughly looking forward to this
exciting new challenge and putting all my energies into making a
positive difference to policing in the Falklands,” he says.
ENDS
INTERVIEW FACILITY
Chief Inspector Paul Elliott is at a conference in Lincoln all day
Thursday and Friday but can make himself available. Please call the
HQ press office and they will make an appointment for you.
A photograph of Paul is available – please call the HQ press office
01522 558026 or e-mail: media@lincs.pnn.police.uk