Current CIO for Bedfordshire, Cambridgeshire, and Hertfordshire forces appointed to top job at national technology organisation

Credit: PA Images

The Police ICT Company has appointed Ian Bell as its new chief executive.

Taking up his post on 5 February, Bell joins from his current role as chief information officer for Bedfordshire, Cambridgeshire, and Hertfordshire Police Forces. He succeeds Robert Leach, who has served the Police ICT Company as acting CEO since April 2017, when previous full-time chief Martin Wyke departed.

Bell (pictured below right) said: “I’m delighted to take up this opportunity to lead The Police ICT Company, for and on behalf of UK police forces, together with its national partners. It’s a great start to 2018 knowing that I will play a key role in enabling the company to become a crucial and critical friend to our police forces, driving innovative new technology that will lead to positive change, including greater efficiencies, within police ICT.”

Bell has been with the police service since 2011, when he joined the Cambridgeshire force as head of ICT service delivery. In 2011 he was promoted to head of ICT and, in 2014, took on the same role across the Bedfordshire and Hertfordshire forces as well. Earlier in his career he worked for private sector businesses including Associated British Foods.

Related content

• Police ICT Company offers up to £180k for new CEO
• Government urges police to transform ‘for the digital age’
• Police chiefs and crime commissioners pledge digital policing reforms

The new CEO also currently serves as vice chair of the National Police Technology Council, and director of the organisation’s National Enabling Programmes initiative.

Katy Bourne, chair of The Police ICT Company, and Sussex Police and Crime Commissioner, said: “Having worked with Ian in his role as director of the National Enabling Programmes I know he is very well placed to lead the company and drive forward the significant role it plays in helping police forces make better use of ICT. His extensive experience also extends to him being a board member of the company and more than qualifies him for this timely appointment. I look forward to him starting and discussing with him his vision for the company.”

Bourne also paid tribute to the work done by Leach during the nine-month interregnum between full-time leaders

“I would also like to thank Robert Leach for leading the company as acting CEO since April 2017,” she said. “Robert has demonstrated a professional and dedicated approach to his responsibilities throughout this period. His calm and measured leadership has been instrumental in reassuring staff, partners, and board members alike that the company could continue to function effectively during this transition period.”

The Police ICT Company operates as a private company limited by guarantee and is jointly owned by its members – the majority of whom are the Police and Crime Commissioners who established the company and continue to collectively fund its work. The mission of the company, which has been in operation since July 2015, is to “support policing to make the public safer through better ICT”.

A team of 17 people work for The Police ICT Company, which is based in London. Last year it claims to have generated total savings of £3.2m for the police forces for which it works.