One of Britain’s top women police officers will ‘retire’ from her £150,000-a-year job – before returning to it a day later to protect her pension.
Chief Constable Amanda Blakeman, head of the North Wales force, will quit before rejoining after the 24-hour hiatus.
Ms Blakeman, 56, who is chairman of the British Association of Women in Policing, is set to hang up her uniform on January 15 before she is rehired by the same force on the morning of January 17.
The move, due to be approved by the Police and Crime Panel, comes after she completed three decades in policing, the period of service after which many officers were often expected to retire.
It means she will avoid an unusual feature where certain older police pension schemes decrease in value for every year that an officer serves continuously beyond 30 years.
The anomaly has led to the establishment of a national Retire and Rehire scheme which helps forces retain experienced staff.
The break in service on January 16 means her pension will be frozen at its maximum amount. Deputy Chief Constable Nigel Harrison will become acting chief constable for the day.
Police and Crime Commissioner for North Wales Andy Dunbobbin approved the request, subject to the approval of the Police and Crime Panel next week.
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‘I have agreed to put forward Chief Constable Blakeman’s request to enter into the national Retire and Rehire Scheme,’ he said. ‘The widely used scheme is in accordance with updated guidance from the National Police Chiefs’ Council, the Association of Police and Crime Commissioners, and the College of Policing.
‘It is important to emphasise that this will come at no cost to the taxpayer and there will be no break in leadership at the head of North Wales Police.
‘Chief Constable Blakeman and I, alongside all the Chief Officers of North Wales Police, remain as committed as ever to ensuring that our region is the safest and most secure place in the United Kingdom.’
In 2023, Ms Blakeman was the first woman appointed to the top job at North Wales Police in the force’s 48-year history.
She has been awarded the King’s Police Medal for Distinguished Service.
Last month, Northumbria Police Chief Constable Vanessa Jardine retired briefly before being reinstated and West Midlands Police Chief Constable Craig Guildford similarly retired for a month under the same scheme last year.
Chief Constable Amanda Blakeman KPM said: ‘Leading North Wales Police has been the greatest privilege of my career, but after nearly 34 years of service and four years as Chief Constable, I’ve reached the point where retirement is an option.
‘After careful thought, I have decided to seek to continue in post. To achieve this aim, I have made a request to the Police and Crime Commissioner to retire and return under the national Retire and Rehire Scheme, which allows experienced officers to continue in their roles.
‘I am heartened that my bid to continue as Chief Constable is fully supported by the North Wales Police Federation, who recognise the significant progress the force has made in recent years.
‘They have also referenced the importance of stability and continuity for our workforce and the communities we serve.
‘NW Federation members have also made it clear that they feel valued and supported in key areas that directly impact operational effectiveness.
‘The PCC has agreed and will propose this to the Police and Crime Panel on 15 December.
‘If approved, I will retire on 15 January and return on 17 January, continuing as Chief Constable until January 2029.
‘The scheme allows for any police officer, including a Chief Constable, to formally resign as an officer before being re-appointed into the same rank.
‘This process also requires a break in service to ensure that pension entitlement can be abated without any impact on entitlement to lump sum or monthly payments. Participation in this scheme does not create any additional cost to the taxpayer.’
