Lincolnshire Police chief constable Bill Skelly to retire this year

Lincolnshire Police Chief Constable Bill Skelly will retire in December after 31 years in policing.

The 53-year-old, who was born on the east coast of Scotland, joined Lincolnshire Police from Devon and Cornwall in 2017. A year later he looked to leave the force to become Police Scotland’s chief constable, but he didn’t get the role.

Bill Skelly has been living with his wife Jane close to the police HQ in Nettleham. He will step down from his role on December 18. Lincolnshire’s Police and Crime Commissioner Marc Jones will appoint Bill’s successor and the search for a new chief constable will begin soon.

The retiring chief constable said: “It’s been a privilege and an honour to lead this force. There have been many challenges during my four years as chief here in Lincolnshire and what I’ve seen is a workforce who constantly rise up and respond to any difficulties put in their path.

“I am proud to have been amongst colleagues who come into work day in, and day out, determined to make a difference and improve the lives of others wherever they can.

“I am absolutely delighted to be finishing a wonderful career at the very top of policing, here in Lincolnshire. It has made me and my family immensely happy to be amongst such warm and supporting people who welcomed us from the very first day.

“I joined this force with an intention to look after my staff and to provide the public of Lincolnshire with the best possible service by making sure our resources were placed in the right place at the right time.”

Lincolnshire Police Chief Constable Bill Skelly. Photo: Steve Smailes for The Lincolnite

During his career, Bill has worked in roles including leading the Immigration Crime Team at New Scotland Yard and being appointed in 2008 by Her Majesty the Queen as her Inspector of Constabulary for Scotland.

He has also tried to persuade the government that it needed to provide more funding to Lincolnshire Police and hopes it “might hear this and deliver more funding in the months and years ahead”.

He added: “We have been allocated the money to recruit an extra 130 officers as part of the national uplift, but the conversation around better distribution of cash for policing has to continue.”

He is now looking forward to retirement when he intends to spend more time with his two adult daughters and wider family, as well as looking for other opportunities to contribute to community wellbeing.

Lincolnshire Police Chief Constable Bill Skelly. Photo: Steve Smailes for The Lincolnite

PCC Marc Jones paid tribute to his policing colleague, saying: “It has been an honour and a privilege to have appointed and then worked with Chief Constable Skelly in our joint aim of keeping the communities of Lincolnshire safe.

“Bill has left Lincolnshire Police a very different Force to the one he joined in 2017 and it’s no exaggeration to say that his mark will be felt for years to come.

“He cares passionately for the welfare of those in his charge and has always strived to improve the wellbeing of officers and staff alike, something he can be rightly proud of.”