A NEW police chief takes over the running of Hertfordshire’s Specials next month, with a mission to expand the voluntary force.

David Tewkesbury, previously a Special Inspector in Stevenage, will take up the role of Special Chief Officer from July. He will take over from Peter Mould, who has held the position since 1997.

The 46-year-old IT account director, who joined the specials 23 years ago, said his goal is to continue to expand the number of voluntary officers in the county.

“I’m delighted to be taking up this position and will be using my experience as a Special Inspector to continue in Peter’s footsteps. Last year there were 300 Specials, now we have over 400, and Peter has been instrumental in helping the force achieve this.

“However, we are not standing still – we hope to recruit another 200 specials over the next 12 months. This is an exciting time, and a great opportunity to continue to build on the work that is being done to make the county an even safer place.

“I will do everything I can to help the service make the most of our committed and dedicated specials from all walks of life, who volunteer their spare time to help their local communities. And I will try to make sure Hertfordshire Special Constabulary remains one of the leading forces in the country.”