Chief Inspector Promotion Process (External Candidates Only)

Chief Inspector – Staffordshire Police 

Location: Staffordshire Police Headquarters 
Contract: Permanent 
Closing Date: 12th June 2026  - 12:00 Midday

Be part of building a safe and confident Staffordshire 

Staffordshire Police is seeking to appoint forward-thinking Chief Inspectors to help lead our organisation at an important time. Our ambition is clear: to deliver a safe and confident Staffordshire, secured by a high-performing local police service that is passionate about serving its communities, caring for its people, and working in strong partnership with others. 

As a Chief Inspector, you will play a key leadership role in delivering our Force priorities. These include strengthening our focus on vulnerability, delivering high-quality investigations, improving public confidence, and reducing crime and antisocial behaviour across Staffordshire and Stoke-on-Trent. 

Staffordshire is a county of proud communities: from rural villages and market towns to the urban centres of Stoke-on-Trent, Tamworth, and Burton upon Trent. The area presents a diverse policing landscape, requiring leaders who can deliver a service that is visible, accessible, and responsive to community needs. 

This is an exciting opportunity for capable and motivated leaders to join a Force committed to continuous improvement, partnership working, and innovation—supported by investment in technology, training, and people. 

Our opportunities are open to substantive Chief Inspectors seeking a lateral move or Inspectors ready for promotion. 

About the Role 

As a Chief Inspector, you will: 

• Provide operational leadership across policing functions, ensuring effective prevention and detection of crime, protection of the vulnerable, and high-quality service to victims 

• Lead teams and departments in delivering local and organisational priorities, ensuring performance, accountability, and professionalism 

• Make sound, ethical, and evidence-based decisions in complex and dynamic operational environments
• Support and develop Inspectors and frontline teams, creating a culture that motivates, includes, and empowers people
• Strengthen public confidence through visible leadership, community engagement, and responsive policing
• Work closely with partners—local authorities, Fire & Rescue, health, and community organisations—to address harm and vulnerability
• Contribute to organisational change, continuous improvement, and the development of effective policing practices 

We are seeking candidates who can demonstrate the Competency and Values Framework at Level 2.

Values 

All applicants must demonstrate commitment to the policing values: 

• Integrity 

• Public Service 

• Impartiality 

• Transparency 

 Essential Criteria 

• Proven experience at Inspector rank with readiness for promotion, or substantive Chief Inspector experience 

• Strong operational leadership and decision-making capability 

• Experience managing performance, risk, and people in a complex environment – supported by a command skill 

• Ability to lead teams, develop others, and drive high standards 

• Effective communication and stakeholder engagement skills 

Please answer the following questions commensurate with the Competency Values Framework Level 2.

Please supply your answers within the main application form.

 Answers will be limited to 500 words each: 

 Question 1: 

Describe a time when you had to improve performance within a team or department that was not meeting expectations. How did you address the issue, support your people, and ensure sustainable improvement? 

We Deliver, Support and Inspire (Level2)  

Question 2: 

Describe a situation where you had to make a complex operational decision involving risk and competing priorities. How did you use information, engage others, and ensure the best outcome? 

We Are Collaborative (Level2)  
 

Join Us 

If you are an ambitious, emotionally intelligent, and collaborative leader who wants to make a meaningful contribution to policing and community safety in Staffordshire, we would be delighted to hear from you. 

To find out more, join us on a MS Teams Awareness event where you can understand more about the Force and the selection process. The event will be held on 3rd June 2026. To register for the event, please click here Chief Inspector Promotion Process Awareness Event - Staffordshire Police

For further enquiries, help and guidance please contact promotion.enquiries@staffordshire.police.uk  

Staffordshire Police is fully supportive of Equality, Diversity and Inclusion and strives to employ a workforce that represents the community we serve. 

Our vacancies are open to everyone and all appointments are made based on merit.  We encourage and welcome applications from all underrepresented groups which include: Black, Asian, and minority ethnic backgrounds, female, people who have a disability, those who are neurodivergent and persons of the LGBTQ+ community.

We use positive action to encourage potential candidates from underrepresented groups through targeted step-In support and advice sessions.  If you have the skills, experience and values, that here in Staffordshire Police we pride ourselves on, then we would welcome you to apply.

For more information on Positive Action please email the team on positive.action@staffordshire.police.uk 

For any Recruitment queries please email hrrecruitment.team@staffordshire.police.uk

Residency Eligibility 

Please note you will need to have been a resident in the UK for the last three years consecutively for RV Level roles and five years for MV Level roles (see below link around Vetting for more information)

Please note if you are successful at interview and commence pre-employment checks this will include vetting, please see what this involves and the process via the below link: 

Police vetting process | Join The Police (joiningthepolice.co.uk)