Keith Bristow
Encyclopedia
Keith Bristow QPM
is a British police officer. He is the current Chief Constable
of Warwickshire Police
, and is due to become the head of the United Kingdom's National Crime Agency
when it is formed in 2013, having been appointed in October 2011.
Bristow joined West Mercia Constabulary
as a cadet
and served in uniformed and Criminal Investigation Department
roles. In 1997, as a Detective Chief Inspector, he was appointed staff officer to the president of the Association of Chief Police Officers
(ACPO). In 1998 he was promoted Detective Superintendent and seconded to the West Midlands Police
Major Investigation Team, later transferring to the force permanently, where he served as operations manager and director of intelligence. Promoted to Chief Superintendent
, he commanded an operational command unit in Birmingham
.
In 2002 he was promoted Assistant Chief Constable
and became director of the National Criminal Intelligence Service
. In 2005 he was appointed Deputy Chief Constable
of Warwickshire Police and in July 2006 became Chief Constable.
He is also chair of the G8 Law Enforcement Group and from 2009 to 2011 was head of crime at ACPO, having previously been head of violence and public protection and of criminal use of firearms. He was the first British graduate of the European Top Senior Police Officer Course and holds a master's degree in organisational development, a postgraduate diploma in management studies, and a diploma in applied criminology.
Bristow was awarded the Queen's Police Medal
(QPM) in the 2008 Birthday Honours.
Queen's Police Medal
The Queen's Police Medal is awarded to police officers in the United Kingdom and Commonwealth for gallantry or distinguished service. Recipients may use the post-nominal letters "QPM", although the right to use these was only granted officially on 20 July 1969...
is a British police officer. He is the current Chief Constable
Chief Constable
Chief constable is the rank used by the chief police officer of every territorial police force in the United Kingdom except for the City of London Police and the Metropolitan Police, as well as the chief officers of the three 'special' national police forces, the British Transport Police, Ministry...
of Warwickshire Police
Warwickshire Police
Warwickshire Police is the territorial police force responsible for policing Warwickshire in England. It was known as Warwickshire Constabulary until 2001. It is the second smallest territorial police force in England and Wales after the City of London Police, with only 998.6 regular officers as...
, and is due to become the head of the United Kingdom's National Crime Agency
National Crime Agency
The National Crime Agency is a proposed national law enforcement agency in the United Kingdom, serving as a replacement for the existing Serious Organised Crime Agency. The new agency will be launched by 2013 and also include the Child Exploitation and Online Protection Centre and parts of the...
when it is formed in 2013, having been appointed in October 2011.
Bristow joined West Mercia Constabulary
West Mercia Constabulary
West Mercia Police, formerly known as West Mercia Constabulary, is the territorial police force responsible for policing the counties of Shropshire , Herefordshire and Worcestershire in England. The force area covers making it the fourth largest police area in England and Wales...
as a cadet
Cadet
A cadet is a trainee to become an officer in the military, often a person who is a junior trainee. The term comes from the term "cadet" for younger sons of a noble family.- Military context :...
and served in uniformed and Criminal Investigation Department
Criminal Investigation Department
The Crime Investigation Department is the branch of all Territorial police forces within the British Police and many other Commonwealth police forces, to which plain clothes detectives belong. It is thus distinct from the Uniformed Branch and the Special Branch.The Metropolitan Police Service CID,...
roles. In 1997, as a Detective Chief Inspector, he was appointed staff officer to the president of the Association of Chief Police Officers
Association of Chief Police Officers
The Association of Chief Police Officers , established in 1948, is a private limited company that leads the development of policing practice in England, Wales and Northern Ireland.ACPO provides a forum for chief police officers to share ideas and coordinates the strategic...
(ACPO). In 1998 he was promoted Detective Superintendent and seconded to the West Midlands Police
West Midlands Police
West Midlands Police is the territorial police force responsible for policing the metropolitan county of West Midlands in England.Covering an area with nearly 2.6 million inhabitants, which includes the cities of Birmingham, Coventry, Wolverhampton and also the Black Country; the force is made up...
Major Investigation Team, later transferring to the force permanently, where he served as operations manager and director of intelligence. Promoted to Chief Superintendent
Chief Superintendent
Chief superintendent is a senior rank in police forces organised on the British model.- United Kingdom :In the British police, a chief superintendent is senior to a superintendent and junior to an assistant chief constable .The highest rank below Chief Officer level, chief...
, he commanded an operational command unit in Birmingham
Birmingham
Birmingham is a city and metropolitan borough in the West Midlands of England. It is the most populous British city outside the capital London, with a population of 1,036,900 , and lies at the heart of the West Midlands conurbation, the second most populous urban area in the United Kingdom with a...
.
In 2002 he was promoted Assistant Chief Constable
Assistant Chief Constable
Assistant chief constable is the third highest rank in all British territorial police forces , as well as the British Transport Police, Ministry of Defence Police and...
and became director of the National Criminal Intelligence Service
National Criminal Intelligence Service
The National Criminal Intelligence Service was a United Kingdom policing agency set up as a separate body in April 1992 to centralise the gathering and distribution of intelligence on serious and organised criminal matters. NCIS was formed out of the National Drugs Intelligence Unit in the Home...
. In 2005 he was appointed Deputy Chief Constable
Deputy Chief Constable
Deputy chief constable is the second highest rank in all territorial police forces in the United Kingdom , as well as the British Transport Police, Ministry of Defence Police and Civil Nuclear...
of Warwickshire Police and in July 2006 became Chief Constable.
He is also chair of the G8 Law Enforcement Group and from 2009 to 2011 was head of crime at ACPO, having previously been head of violence and public protection and of criminal use of firearms. He was the first British graduate of the European Top Senior Police Officer Course and holds a master's degree in organisational development, a postgraduate diploma in management studies, and a diploma in applied criminology.
Bristow was awarded the Queen's Police Medal
Queen's Police Medal
The Queen's Police Medal is awarded to police officers in the United Kingdom and Commonwealth for gallantry or distinguished service. Recipients may use the post-nominal letters "QPM", although the right to use these was only granted officially on 20 July 1969...
(QPM) in the 2008 Birthday Honours.