New Chief Constable for West Mercia
Richard Cooper has been formally confirmed as the Chief Constable of West Mercia Police after the PCC commended him to the Police and Crime Panel.
Following a competitive recruitment process, PCC John Campion announced Richard Cooper as his preferred candidate who will bring 26 years of experience and admirable qualities to the role.
Richard became Deputy Chief Constable in the summer of 2024 and is currently acting Chief.
He joined West Mercia Police as Assistant Chief Constable for the Crime and Vulnerability portfolio in 2022 but he began his policing career with Gloucestershire Constabulary in 1998 where he performed both uniform and detective roles.
As superintendent he was Head of Public Protection, Head of Intelligence, and then Head of Local Policing. In 2017 he was seconded to the National Police Chiefs’ Council as the Chief of Staff to the Chair before returning as Chief Superintendent in 2019 and having responsibility for crime and vulnerability.
Outside of work he is a proud dad of two and coaches girls’ cricket.
PCC John Campion said: “I am pleased that Richard has been officially confirmed in post as it marks the beginning of a renewed focus.
“Not only will Richard’s confirmation give West Mercia Police stability, but it will also allow for continuity as we look to build on the progress that has been made to date. We have a plan to deliver on behalf of our communities and a mission to ensure those communities are safe and feel safe. I am very much looking forward to working with Richard to deliver on this shared mission and navigate the challenges facing policing.”
Richard Cooper said: “I am delighted to have been confirmed in post. I’m now looking forward to providing stability of leadership so that we can continue our current progress towards delivering a superb service when the public need us and tackling crime to keep them safe.
“There will be a number of challenges we will have to face, but that is the nature of policing. I know that the hard-working West Mercian police officers and staff members are utterly focused on doing their job brilliantly, and it’s my role to help them achieve that.”
Pic: CC Richard Cooper and PCC John Campion
