The police and crime commissioner for Thames Valley, Anthony Stansfeld, has chosen John Campbell as his proposed appointment for Thames Valley Police chief constable.

John Campbell has, since 2015, been the deputy chief constable.

“After a detailed selection process I am delighted to announce that John Campbell is my preferred candidate to be appointed as the next chief constable for Thames Valley Police. I look forward to working closely with him in the future," Anthony Stansfeld said.

John Campbell said: "I feel privileged to be chosen as the preferred candidate for the next chief constable of Thames Valley Police.

“I am very proud to have been a chief officer with Thames Valley Police for more than eight years, and look forward to taking over from an outstanding chief constable in Francis Habgood. I hope to build on his successes in my tenure as chief.

“It will be an honour to lead all those who work and volunteer for us so that we can continue to deliver a police force that protects the communities of the Thames Valley and gives the public the standard of service that they deserve.”

The appointment is subject to a confirmation hearing by the Thames Valley Police and Crime Panel, who will review the proposed appointment on Friday February 1.

Mr Campbell has been in the police service for 30 years and has worked in three police forces. He originally joined West Midlands Police in 1988, before transferring to Hampshire Constabulary in 2001 and joined Thames Valley Police in July 2010.

Whilst in Hampshire he spent four years as the police commander in Portsmouth and then became the chief superintendent in charge of Uniform Operations. He later went on to command uniform operations across both forces as assistant chief constable (operations), moving to ACC Crime in 2013 and deputy chief constable in May 2015.

Mr Campbell is an experienced operational commander and as chief officer in Thames Valley was responsible for the policing of the Olympic events, including the South East regional phase of the Torch Relay. He also led the multi-agency response to the flooding in Oxfordshire and Berkshire in 2014 and has commanded numerous firearms and public order events.

He leads nationally for the police in respect of how the respond to chemical, biological, radiological and nuclear incidents and attacks.

In 2015 he received the Queens Police Medal, in the birthday’s honours list for services to policing.