Bedfordshire Police appoint temporary Assistant Chief Constable

An officer with almost 27 years of experience of policing in Bedfordshire has been appointed as the new temporary Assistant Chief Constable.

Sharn Basra joined Bedfordshire Police in 1993 and has worked his way up the ranks to the position of temporary Assistant Chief Constable (T/ACC), which he started yesterday (Monday 11 May), filling the role vacated by ACC Jackie Sebire who has been appointed as the new lead for Bedfordshire, Cambridgeshire, and Hertfordshire Joint Protective Services.

During his career, T/ACC Basra spent six years as a response officer and six years as a detective constable before taking on a number of different roles, including senior investigating officer on the Major Crime Unit, the head of the force’s Public Protection Unit, and the area commander for the south of the county.

His most recent position has been as T/ACC in Cambridgeshire, but he has now returned to his home force and is ready for the challenge that lies ahead.

T/ACC Basra said: “Returning to Bedfordshire Police feels very much like coming home.

"This is my local force and it has been important to me over the years to know that I’m making a positive contribution to where I, my family and friends live, and making it a safer county for everyone who lives here.

“I’m really looking forward to working alongside the other Chief Officers and Police and Crime Commissioner Kathryn Holloway to continue to drive forward the excellent progress that has been achieved by the force in recent years.”

Chief Constable Garry Forsyth said: “I’m delighted to welcome T/ACC Basra back to Bedfordshire and to the force executive team.

"He has a wealth of experience as well as knowledge of key issues specific to our county, which I know will prove absolutely invaluable in driving forward our operational policing and keeping Bedfordshire safe at what is a challenging and unprecedented time.”

Police and Crime Commissioner Kathryn Holloway said: “T/ACC Sharn Basra has been much missed while he was on assignment and I am absolutely certain that he will prove an exceptional asset in his new role within Bedfordshire Police.

"I’m personally delighted to see him back to join our strong Executive team, especially at such a challenging time."

Bedfordshire Police is continuing to recruit new officers despite the current lockdown, and T/ACC Basra is encouraging others considering a career in policing to sign up.

He said: “For me policing is the best job ever. I would not change anything - it’s such a varied and rewarding career path and now more than ever there are so many different routes into policing, as well as endless opportunities once you’re in the force.

“I’ve been lucky enough to do so many different roles during my time with the police, from being a bobby on the beat patrolling the streets of Luton, to leading murder investigations, to protecting some of the most vulnerable in society, and now as T/ACC managing the day to day delivery of operational policing across Bedfordshire.”

For more information about how you could start a career in Bedfordshire Police, visit www.bedfordshire.police.uk.