New Area Commander For York and Selby

Tuesday, 03 March, 2009

Chief Superintendent Ali Higgins today (3/3/09) takes up her new role as Area Commander for the York and Selby districts.

She will be the first woman Area Commander for Central Area and replaces Acting Chief Superintendent Steve Tarn, who held the position temporarily following Chief Superintendent Iain Spittal's appointment as Chief Of Staff.

Ch Supt Higgins joined North Yorkshire Police in 2003, as Operations Commander for York and Selby and has held a number of key roles across the force since then. These have included Operations Commander for Eastern area, Head of Corporate Development and latterly Head of the Protective Services Directorate.

She said: "I am looking forward to returning to the central area and building on the excellent work already established by Chief Superintendent Tarn. I look forward to working with old and new colleagues, staff I know who are hard working and very dedicated to providing the best possible service to our communities.

"My priorities are to work with partners and staff to ensure our success continues as a low crime area, to raise public confidence and reduce fear of crime and meet our community's needs.

"There is some excellent partnership work ongoing and I am excited by the prospect of getting involved and making a real difference that people can see and feel."

Chief Superintendent Andy McMillan replaces Ch Supt Higgins as Head of Protective Services Directorate.
Additional information

Ali joined West Midlands Police in 1981 as a 16-yr-old cadet, before becoming a constable in December 1983. In August 1987 she transferred to the Metropolitan Police and was posted to Brixton, South London. After an initial three months on patrol duties, she was selected to join the crime squad, dealing with major crime, robberies and gun crime. Six months later she joined the South London drug squad covering the London boroughs of Lambeth, Streatham, Brixton, Elephant and Castle and Peckham.

In 1989, she transferred back to the Midlands working in Wolverhampton. She was promoted to sergeant in 1992.. In June 2000, Ali was promoted to Inspector at Smethwick, Birmingham, and carried out roles in contingency and event planning and as Head of Community Safety. In 2002 she was promoted to Detective Inspector.

Ali has a BA honours degree in business and finance after studying part time while a serving officer at West Midlands Police.

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