Outgoing New Forest police chief to be replaced by new officer from Eastleigh

THE New Forest’s police chief is leaving the district after just over two years in the job.

Chief Inspector Robert Mitchell is moving to work in Portsmouth and will be replaced by Inspector Ian Trueman from Eastleigh.

Ch. Insp.Mitchell said: “It has been a real pleasure working in this beautiful part of the county over the past two years and I have been helped immensely by a very hard working, committed local policing team.

“Together with our stakeholder partners in community safety, they have worked tirelessly to tackle community priorities, including drug-related harm and protecting children from criminal and sexual exploitation, as well as working together to address domestic abuse.

“We have also seen a considerable reduction in dwelling burglary over the past 12 months.

“I know that my successor will be keen to continue working to keep the New Forest a safe place to visit, to live in and to work in.”

Inspector Scott Beney will be acting chief inspector at the district police’s Lyndhurst HQ in the meantime.

A Hampshire Police spokesperson said it was “normal practice” for police officers to vary their role and location.

Insp.Trueman joined the county force in 1991, according to his entry on the website of the Hampshire Police Federation, for which he is a representative.

He has already worked in the New Forest as well as districts including Southampton, Gosport and Fareham.

He has been active in the federation, which represents rank and file officers, and in 2011 rose to become a full-time member of the organisation’s national committee, for south-east England.

In 2015 he stood down from his national role and returned to the force for personal and family reasons. He returned to the federation in April 2016 as the western area inspectors' representative.

When Ch.Insp.Mitchell arrived in late 2016, he replaced Simon Tribe who moved on to command 999 response in west Hampshire.