New policing guru appointed after 'very strange process'

Durham Constabulary HQ, Akley Heads, Durham

Sharon Caddell, who has previously worked on tackling family violence in Cleveland and Middlesbrough, has been recommended to become the latest acting chief executive at the office of the Police, Crime and Victims’ Commissioner (PCVC) for Durham and Darlington.

It is the second time acting PCVC Steve White has had to appoint someone to the role in less than a year.

“It’s been a very strange process trying to recruit someone for one’s own job,” said White, who was elevated from PCVC chief executive to PCVC in 2019 following the death of incumbent Ron Hogg.

“It’s rather challenging, something I’ve never had to do before.

“In 12 months time one hopes things will go back to a near normal, although I’m not entirely sure what normal means nowadays, when I shall be stepping back into the substantive role and hopefully the democratic process will be up and running and we will have a new PCVC.”

White, a former chairman of policeman’s union the Police Federation, was speaking at a meeting of the Durham and Darlington Police and Crime Panel, held by video call to comply with social distancing guidelines.

The acting PCVC had been due to return to the chief executive’s role following scheduled elections in May, but these have been delayed until 2021 due to the pandemic.

Jon Carling, head of policy and communications under Hogg, was made acting chief executive in 2019, but according to a report for the committee earlier this year he ‘accepted new role which created a vacancy’.

An advert for his replacement received 13 applications, with five offered interviews and Caddell emerging as the preferred candidate.

Caddell is currently Assistant Chief Executive for North Yorkshire PCVC and the new role in Durham will be a temporary secondment.

She is also studying for a masters degree at Cambridge University in applied criminology and senior police management, with a thesis on domestic abuse and preventing high harm.

When White was appointed in 2018 his salary was set at more than £80,000 per year.

A report on Caddell’s appointment says only that she will be ‘on the bottom pay scale for that of the Chief Executive’.

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