13/08/2026
Clive Hammond
The new leader will "take office at a pivotal moment for policing", and replaces Chris Noble, who faced disciplinary matters over his conduct.
The position, advertised by Staffordshire Police’s Fire & Crime Commissioner, is for up to five years in charge of the force, with an annual salary of £195,258.
The role is now live after it was ruled Mr Noble would have been sacked had he not resigned on the eve of a disciplinary matter last month.
The 52-year-old – who led Staffordshire Police from December 2021 until his suspension in August 2025, having previously been Assistant Chief Constable with Humberside Police – was found to have breached standards of police professional behaviour.
The investigation was led by the IOPC, which will continue to investigate other allegations relating to Mr Noble’s conduct both in and outside of his policing duties.
The gross misconduct finding comes just weeks after a report by the Police Leadership Commission concluded standards in the upper echelons of policing in England and Wales fall short of the consistently high standards the public and police officers deserve.
The IOPC’s Director General, Rachel Watson, backed calls for an overhaul of the way in which senior police officers are chosen following the two-day hearing’s findings.