There is a new man in charge of Cumbria Police's criminal investigation departments.

Detective Chief Superintendent Andrew Slattery has today been confirmed as the new Head of Crime for the force.

He joined Cumbria Constabulary in 1991 and has served in all three of the force’s territorial areas along with a secondment to the National Crime Squad.

Having been a detective in every rank of the force, he has held posts as Head of Serious and Organised Crime, Counter Terrorism, Public Protection and Intelligence.

Mr Slattery has been involved in many of the force’s major investigations, notably the murder of John Harvey whose body was discovered at Killington in 2003, the west Cumbria murders of 2010 and most recently the 2015 murder of Jordan Watson in Carlisle.

He said: “I am very proud to have been appointed as Head of Crime in the county I have served for over 25 years.

"I am privileged to lead a department of very hard working and dedicated officers and staff who are committed to protecting our communities. This is often the unseen side of policing, working hard to tackle dangerous offenders and prevent crime.

"The daily work of detectives is at the heart of keeping the public safe but we do need to meet a number of significant challenges as the face of crime continues to change."

Mr Slattery continued: "When I joined in the 1990s the CID typically dealt with burglary, theft and robbery.

"Today a detective’s time is more likely to involve working with partner agencies to safeguard vulnerable people or protecting children from sexual exploitation via the internet.

"The massive social change of the digital age means that crime is no longer just a local issue but regional, national and even global. We are now well equipped to deal with digital crime in Cumbria but keeping pace with technology during a period of on-going austerity is challenging."

He also praised the support given by the public to officers and staff, and thanked them for their continued trust and confidence.