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West Mercia Police has welcomed a new Assistant Chief Constable (ACC) to its leadership team. Emma Maxwell joins West Mercia Police following 26 years with Leicestershire Police and will be the force lead for Local Policing and Operations.
During her career, Emma has gained extensive experience across Response Policing, Neighbourhood Policing and Specialist Operations, alongside roles in Contact, Change Management and Corporate Services.
Emma has also worked on the Tactical Support Team and as a Hostage Negotiator. In 2015, she secured a place on the national PC to Inspector Fast Track programme and has since held a number of leadership roles.
An experienced Firearms and Public Order Commander, Emma is a qualified Strategic Firearms Commander and has previously served as a Tactical Firearms Commander. She is also a qualified Gold and previously Silver Public Order Commander, with considerable experience of leading the policing response to high-risk and complex incidents.
“I’m delighted to be joining West Mercia Police and I’m really looking forward to getting out across the force, meeting our officers, staff, partners and the communities we serve.“Policing continues to face significant and evolving challenges, but I am excited to take these on alongside colleagues across the force. I’m passionate about local policing and making sure we understand and respond to the issues that matter most to our communities.
“I’m looking forward to bringing my experience to West Mercia, while also listening and learning from colleagues and communities. My focus will be on supporting our people to deliver the best possible service and ensuring we continue to keep people safe, prevent crime and build trust and confidence.”
ACC Emma Maxwell.
Alongside her operational experience, Emma is passionate about Neighbourhood Policing, partnership working and problem solving. She has extensive experience of engaging with communities, partners and stakeholders and is a strong advocate for ensuring policing delivers the best possible service to the public.
Emma graduated from the Executive Leaders Programme (ELP) in 2026 and also holds the Gypsy, Roma and Traveller portfolio for the National Police Chiefs’ Council (NPCC).
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