Two new Deputy Chief Constables appointed

The Scottish Police Authority (SPA) has announced the appointment of Will Kerr and Fiona Taylor as Deputy Chief Constables (DCC) within Police Scotland’s leadership team.

The appointment panel was chaired by Susan Deacon, Chair of the SPA, and included David Hume, SPA Board member, Angela Scott, Chief Executive of Aberdeen City Council and Iain Livingstone, Interim Chief Constable of Police Scotland.

Announcing the appointments, Susan Deacon, Chair of the SPA said:“I am delighted to announce the appointment of Will Kerr and Fiona Taylor to what I believe are among the most important policing and public service leadership roles in the UK.

“These appointments follow a rigorous and open process which attracted a strong field of candidates. I am confident that we have identified two individuals who will bring valuable skills and experience to the leadership team of Police Scotland and will make a significant contribution to the development of policing in Scotland in the years ahead.

“This is the first of a series of key leadership appointments the SPA will make in the coming months to strengthen the leadership of our police service as it continues to develop and adapt to meet the needs of a changing Scotland.”

Will Kerr is currently Director of Vulnerabilities at the National Crime Agency with strategic responsibility for leading and co-ordinating law enforcement response to Child Sexual Exploitation and Abuse, Modern Slavery and Human Trafficking and Organised Immigration Crime. A police officer for over 28 years, he is also the NCA’s strategic lead for the Agency’s relationship with partners in Scotland and Northern Ireland.

While serving as Director at the National Crime Agency, Will Kerr has been on secondment from his role as Assistant Chief Constable with the Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI). His last PSNI role was Head of Crime Operations including Serious Crime and Counter Terrorism. Previously, as ACC Urban (Belfast) Region, he had responsibility for the policing of all major events including marches and parades.

Fiona Taylor has over 24 years of experience serving as a senior officer with Lothian & Borders Police, Strathclyde Police and the Metropolitan Police Service (MPS). Prior to leaving the MPS in December 2017, she was Temporary Assistant Commissioner for Professionalism with strategic oversight and leadership of the Directorate of Professional Standards, Met Training, the Serious Crime Review Group and Operational Support Services.

She was the MPS lead on the Public Inquiry into Undercover Policing (UCPI) and was responsible for concluding activity following the independent Henriques review into the MPS’s handling of a number of high profile historical sexual abuse investigations.