THE chief constable of Hampshire Constabulary, Alex Marshall, has been appointed to head the new national College of Policing.

The announcement of his appointment as chief executive was made today in the House of Commons by Home Secretary Theresa May.

Mr Marshall, who will retain the rank of chief constable, is likely to leave Hampshire early in 2013.

The selection and appointment of a new chief constable will be made by the new police commissioner, who will be elected in November.

Mr Marshall said today: “This appointment is a fantastic opportunity to replace bureaucracy and unnecessary policies in policing with practical, common sense approaches based on the evidence of what works.

“By the time I leave, early in 2013, we will have seen five consecutive years of crime reduction in Hampshire and the Isle of Wight. Over this period, anti-social behaviour has gone down and we have caught more of the serious criminals.

“When I became chief constable in 2008, I promised to focus on the clear priorities of cutting crime and ensuring frontline visibility.  Despite making huge cuts in the budget, we have protected and preserved our numbers in visible local roles.

“It will be a real wrench to leave Hampshire next year.  This is a place where I feel very much at home, where I have been made to feel very welcome, and where I have worked with colleagues who are highly professional and genuinely care about the people they serve.”

Adrian Collett, chair of Hampshire Police Authority, said: “This appointment is an exciting opportunity for Mr Marshall, but we know it will have been a difficult decision to even consider leaving Hampshire.

“He has made his mark locally, regionally and nationally and we have no doubt that he is an excellent choice for this role. Our feelings are mixed however because the college's gain is certainly our loss. Mr Marshall is extremely well regarded by all in the constabulary and members of the authority.”

As chief executive of the College of Policing, Mr Marshall will be responsible for over-seeing the training standards for all police in the UK.

During his four years in Hampshire, Mr Marshall has led the force in delivering a significant cut in crimes committed, from  89.6 per 1,000 of the population to 68.6 per 1,000 last year. Analysis so far this year shows that that number is continuing to fall.

Campaigns such as Operation Nemesis, targeting domestic burglary, have seen the numbers of burglaries committed decrease from 15.2 per 1,000 households to 6.8.

He has overseen the successful roll-out of mobile data technology, equipping officers to deliver more flexibly and effectively.