SUFFOLK Constabulary has announced the appointment of Jacqui Cheer as the force's new Deputy Chief Constable.Mrs Cheer joined Suffolk police in July 2006 as the Assistant Chief Constable and earlier this year was made the Temporary Chief Constable.

SUFFOLK Constabulary has announced the appointment of Jacqui Cheer as the force's new Deputy Chief Constable.

Mrs Cheer joined Suffolk police in July 2006 as the Assistant Chief Constable and earlier this year was made the Temporary Chief Constable.

The police chief, who is married and lives in north Essex, has already faced one of the most challenging years of her career.

Within months of taking up her initial post, she was appointed gold commander of the Sumac investigation - the inquiry into the killings of five women in Ipswich.

She said: “It's been an amazing year. I had been here three months and I had got to know a number of staff. But the big thing for me is how everybody got on with what we had to do.

“People were doing jobs that were not in their role - they were stepping into the gaps. We had people from human resources organising hotels for officers from elsewhere. It was amazing to watch.

“It was Christmas, it would have been easy for people to say get on with it but the community did not.

“I think we've managed to keep some of the best bits of that. That's why performance has got so much better.”

Mrs Cheer said she was delighted and “extremely proud” to take on the new post.

“There are challenging times ahead but I hope I will play a lead role in developing policing in Suffolk for the future, helping to provide a first class service to its communities,” she said.

Before joining Suffolk police, Mrs Cheer worked with the Home Office's reform unit.

During her 22 years of service within Essex Police, Mrs Cheer gained operational experience of counter-terrorist policing, policing large public events and working with a range of partners to reduce crime, detect more offences and minimise anti-social behaviour.

As Deputy Chief Constable of Suffolk, her portfolio includes the protective services department, which includes crime management and operations, human resources, strategic options and policing and professional standards.

Mrs Cheer is also joint deputy chair of the Arson Control Forum on behalf of the Association of Chief Police Officers (ACPO).