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Sir Denis O’Connor CBE, QPM

Sir Denis O’Connor is Her Majesty’s Chief Inspector of Constabulary. Before he joined HMIC, he was Chief Constable of Surrey between 2000 and 2004.

Sir Denis began his career with the Metropolitan Police, eventually becoming Assistant Chief Constable in Surrey in 1991. He was later appointed the role of Deputy Chief of Kent, and then in 1997 took on the position of Assistant Commissioner in London, where he led the Metropolitian Police Service development strategy following the Stephen Lawrence Enquiry.

In 1996, Sir Denis was awarded the Queen’s Police Medal and later received a CBE in 2002 for his service to policing. He received a knighthood in 2010 in the Queen’s Birthday Honours. Prior to becoming Vice President of the Association of Chief Police Officers (ACPO) in 2003, he chaired the ACPO Performance Management Business Area and led the piloting of the National Reassurance Policing Programme; the pre-cursor to Neighbourhood Policing.

Over the years, Sir Denis has reviewed the fitness of the current police force structure, which resulted in the publishing of the 2005 report ‘Closing the Gap’. Other reviews undertaken during his tenure include ‘Intercepting Terrorism’; a review published in October 2006 on police capabilities for counter terrorism and the October 2008 Serious and Organised Crime Capability, ‘Getting Organised’.

Other significant analysis and reviews overseen by Sir Denis more recently include ‘The rules of engagement: A review of the August 2011 disorders’ and ‘A review of national police units which provide intelligence on criminality associated with protest’.

Her Majesty’s Inspectors of Constabulary

Roger Baker QPM

Mr Baker was Chief Constable of Essex Police from July 2005 to July 2009. Before that, he was Deputy Chief Constable of North Yorkshire Police for two years, with responsibility for performance, crime and operations, audit, review and inspection. From 2001 to 2003, Mr Baker was Assistant Chief Constable of Staffordshire Police, with responsibility for territorial policing, crime and operations.

Mr Baker is Her Majesty’s Inspector for the Northern Region and deals with the following forces:

  • Cheshire
  • Cleveland
  • Cumbria
  • Durham
  • Greater Manchester
  • Humberside
  • Lancashire
  • Merseyside
  • Northumbria
  • North Yorkshire
  • South Yorkshire
  • West Yorkshire.

Zoë Billingham

Ms Billingham was director of community safety and sustainability at the Audit Commission from February 2004. Before this, she worked in the Cabinet Office for four years, initially as a development manager in the Regulatory Impact Unit, then a deputy director in the Office of Public Services.

Ms Billingham is Her Majesty’s Inspector for the Eastern Region and deals with the following forces:

  • Bedfordshire
  • Cambridgshire
  • Derbyshire
  • Essex
  • Hampshire
  • Hertfordshire
  • Kent
  • Leicestershire
  • Lincolnshire
  • Norfolk
  • Northamptonshire
  • Nottinghamshire
  • Suffolk
  • Surrey
  • Sussex
  • Thames Valley.

Drusilla Sharpling CBE

Since 2002, Ms Sharpling was a Chief Crown Prosecutor at the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) in London. It was her second spell at the CPS, following 12 years of service from 1987. In that spell, Ms Sharpling worked in various roles, including head of casework services and crown prosecutor. From 1999 to 2002, she was an associate at Pennington’s, a City law firm.

Ms Sharpling is Her Majesty’s Inspector for the Western Region and deals with the following forces:

  • Avon and Somerset
  • Devon and Cornwall
  • Dorset
  • Dyfed-Powys
  • Gloucestershire
  • Gwent
  • North Wales
  • South Wales
  • Staffordshire
  • Warwickshire
  • West Mercia
  • West Midlands
  • Wiltshire.

Stephen Otter QPM

Stephen Otter was Chief Constable of Devon and Cornwall Police between January 2007 and March 2012. Before that he was Assistant Chief Constable and Deputy Chief Constable with Avon and Somerset Constabulary.

Mr Otter has also previously served with Thames Valley Police, the Royal Hong Kong Police and then the Metropolitan Police Service, where he served in ranks from Constable to Commander.

Mr Otter is Her Majesty’s Inspector for the National Team and deals with the following forces:

  • Metropolitan Police Service
  • City of London Police
  • British Transport Police
  • Serious Organised Crime Agency (SOCA)
  • HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC)
  • Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI)
  • Civil Nuclear Constabulary
  • Ministry of Defence Police and Guarding Agency
  • Guernsey
  • Gibraltar
  • Jersey
  • Isle of Man
  • Other forces by invitation.