Councillors have unanimously backed the appointment of David Gardner as Staffordshire Police’s new Chief Constable, following a confirmation hearing examining his experience, leadership and priorities for the force.
What’s new: David Gardner’s appointment as Staffordshire Police Chief Constable has been unanimously endorsed by the Staffordshire Police, Fire and Crime Panel.
Why it matters: The appointment follows a period of leadership uncertainty, with the new Chief Constable pledging to prioritise neighbourhood policing, crime investigations and support for victims.
What’s next: Acting Chief Constable Becky Riggs will continue leading the force until Mr Gardner takes up his position in the coming months.
This article is based on reporting from the Local Democracy Reporting Service (LDRS), a BBC funded initiative set up to strengthen reporting on local democratic issues. The Staffordshire Signal has taken part in the scheme since September 2026, which means we're able to draw on a selection of LDRS stories alongside our own.
Councillors have backed the appointment of Staffordshire Police’s new Chief Constable.
David Gardner will become the forces’s new top cop after his appointment was ratified by the Staffordshire Police, Fire and Crime Panel on Thursday (October 29).
The Staffordshire resident is currently Acting Chief Constable of Warwickshire Police and has led significant change programmes within the force, including the recent modernisation of its digital capabilities. He began his policing career in 2001 as a constable, before making his way through the ranks and working nationally on secondments to the Home Office and National Crime Agency, and he is an experienced Firearms and Public Order Commander.
Becky Riggs has been serving as Acting Chief Constable of Staffordshire Police since August 2025, following the suspension of former Chief Constable Chris Noble. She will continue to lead Staffordshire Police in the interim period, until Mr Gardner is able to assume the post in the coming months, and was thanked for her work by Police, Fire and Crime Commissioner Ben Adams.
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