December 13, 2012 4.00 pm This story is over 135 months old

First Lincolnshire woman eligible for Chief Officer rank

Going up: The county’s most senior detective is on course to become the first Lincolnshire woman eligible for promotion to Chief Officer rank.

Detective Chief Superintendent Heather Roach, currently the county’s most senior detective and head of Lincolnshire’s Crime Support Department, will take a nine weeks assessed course to become the first Lincolnshire woman eligible for promotion to Chief Officer rank.

The Strategic Command Course amounts to more than 400 hours of learning and assessment, during which Heather will undertake a series of demanding strategic exercises, which are designed to stretch and develop the participants’ knowledge and skills.

Chief Constable Neil Rhodes said he was extremely proud of Heather’s achievement: “She has worked so hard for this opportunity and thoroughly deserves the success.

“I have known Heather for virtually all her service with Lincolnshire Police and throughout she has always been a highly professional, committed and talented police officer.”

Heather undertook the selection process at the senior Police National Assessment Centre last week and said she was looking forward to the course:

“I would like to thank everyone who has supported me through this process and I think it is real testament to the leadership development within this force that has seen six of us achieve similar success over recent years. We might be a small force but we punch well above our weight,” she said.

Friend and colleague Nancie Shackleton, who manages the Force’s commercial partnership with G4S, completed the course in 2006 as the first female member of Lincolnshire Police support staff.

She said: “She has worked so hard preparing for and passing the PNAC and deserves this success. Everyone says what a grounded person she is, how she hasn’t changed and it is fitting that someone of her calibre is the first female officer to represent Lincolnshire on the most senior course in policing. I wish her every success, both on the course and the choices she makes after it.”