Avon and Somerset Police appoints new Assistant Chief Constable

Avon and Somerset Police has appointed Rachel Shields as its new Assistant Chief Constable, following the retirement of Will White earlier this year.

Rachel joins the force after nearly 22 years in Northern Ireland, where she began her policing career with the Royal Ulster Constabulary in 1999. She moved through every rank within CID, working on cases ranging from organised crime to rape investigations. She continued her service as the RUC transitioned into the Police Service of Northern Ireland.

In September 2021, Rachel moved to Avon and Somerset as a detective superintendent and was promoted to Head of Investigations (now CID) within six months. She remained in the role for two and a half years before completing an eight-month Executive Leadership Programme to prepare for senior leadership.

“I applied to be ACC because I believe in the importance of policing, especially during times of instability and fear in our communities. I believe I have the experience and values needed to help shape the forthcoming years. I believe in this organisation and the people in it and I want to make sure the decisions we take support officers and staff to do their job well and get the support needed.

“I want to instil hope, confidence and trust. I will specifically seek to guide our efforts in improving our overall performance, be productive and impactful with the resources we have, support our anti-racism strategy and role model service leadership.”

Rachel Shields, Assistant Chief Constable, Avon and Somerset Police.

She described her experience of moving to Avon and Somerset and transitioning to a different policing model and new systems as initially ‘disorientating’, however said she had been ‘welcomed with open arms’ and everyone she had crossed paths with had treated her with kindness and patience. Her experience policing in fractured communities has shaped her approach to building relationships between officers and the public.

Chief Constable Sarah Crew welcomed Rachel to the leadership team, saying: “It’s rewarding to see someone so aligned with our values bring their wealth of experience to Avon and Somerset and develop a deep understanding of our organisation, its people and our communities.”

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