New police chief for Suffolk

Mr McWhirter is an expert on rural issues

The new chief constable of Suffolk police force has been named.

Alastair McWhirter, currently the deputy chief constable of the Wiltshire force, will replace Paul Scott-Lee.

No date has yet been set for him to start.

Mr McWhirter, 49, said he was "delighted" by his appointment, adding: "There was fierce competition for this job, because Suffolk is a top-performing police force."

'Challenging times'

He said he was committed to the Suffolk First programme, which aims to make Suffolk the safest county in the UK by April 2006.

"Although I am taking over a very effective and efficient police force, we still have some way to go to achieve Suffolk First.

"As such, there are challenging times ahead, for both myself as chief constable and Suffolk Constabulary as a whole."

Scottish-born Mr McWhirter is a former English and drama teacher who joined the police in 1977.

During his time in Hampshire and Wiltshire, he has played key roles in policing football crowds and cruise missile convoys, and in dealing with new age travellers.

He also speaks nationally for the Association of Chief Police Officers on rural affairs, including the legal issues surrounding hunting.