HAMPSHIRE Police is on the hunt for a new officer at the helm after Andy Marsh was named as the new chief constable for Avon and Somerset Constabulary.

The appointment will see Mr Marsh returning to the force he first joined in 1987.

It’s a dream job for Mr Marsh, who said: “Avon and Somerset is a good police force and I will work tirelessly with officers, staff and volunteers of the constabulary to deliver excellent policing services to the communities within which my family and I live.”

Simon Hayes, Hampshire’s police and crime commissioner, said: “I fully respect the chief constable’s personal reasons for wanting to move to Avon and Somerset and congratulate him on his selection.

“During his nearly three years as chief, and previous time as deputy chief (of Hampshire), Andy Marsh has made a significant contribution to protecting our communities from harm.

“He has proven that policing is a vocation and has played a significant role in maintaining legitimacy and public confidence in all aspects of the constabulary’s work. He has guided the organisation through significant changes to operational policing, introducing innovation and modernisation.”

And he added: “I’m sure Avon and Somerset will flourish with Andy as their chief constable. I wish him and his family all the best in the future.”

Mr Marsh joined Hampshire Constabulary as deputy chief constable in September 2010 from Avon and Somerset, where he was assistant chief constable.

He was the first chief constable to be appointed by Mr Hayes in February 2013.

A spokesman for Hampshire Constabulary said: “Leading on both change and performance, Andy implemented transformation resulting in achieving £55m of savings and delivering top-quartile performance in a force that is recognised nationally as one of the best value for money.

“Since 2013, Andy has led the implementation of a new operating model built around local partnerships, collaborating with Thames Valley Police on a range of services, and aligning back office services delivered jointly with Hampshire County Council and Hampshire Fire and Rescue Service.

“This new partnership has consolidated and now provides services for Oxfordshire County Council.

“These changes, saving a further £25m, have established Hampshire as the fifth lowest cost force in the country, yet one that is consistently among those recording the highest levels of public confidence as measured by the crime survey for England and Wales.”

The spokesman went on: “Throughout his career, Andy has been leading and creating an environment at work where his officers, police staff and volunteers can flourish.

“This is a critical part of building trust within communities – a key challenge for police officers at a time when greater transparency and accountability is rightly being demanded by the public.”

In a message to his staff and officers, Mr Marsh said: “I have been proud to serve the people of Hampshire and Isle of Wight as chief constable and I would like to thank you all for your warmth, support and ongoing dedication to keeping vulnerable people safe from harm. Your efforts have been second to none.

“I would also like to take this opportunity to say thank you to our police and crime commissioner for his support and remind everyone that, today, Hampshire Constabulary has very high public confidence compared with other forces in the country.

“This is thanks to the collective efforts of so many people, including partner agencies and the public who have worked with us.”

Mr Marsh added: “I understand that some of you might feel disappointed at my decision to put my name forward for this new role but for six years I have lived away from home, so when this opportunity came to spend more time with my family it was something that I could not turn down.”

He continued: “I will leave behind a strong team with the dedication and ambition to keep our communities safe during what is an exciting era for policing with many new challenges.”

The selection process for a new chief constable for Hampshire will begin in the first week of January with an appointment expected in the spring.

Mr Marsh will leave on January 31 and deputy chief constable Graham McNulty will take over from the reins pending a permanent appointment.