His Majesty’s Chief Inspector of Constabulary and Fire & Rescue Services awarded knighthood in New Years Honours
His Majesty’s Chief Inspector of Constabulary and Fire & Rescue Services and former chief constable of Merseyside Police, Andy Cooke QPM DL, has been awarded a knighthood for services to policing and to public service in the King’s New Years Honours List.
Andy began his career with Merseyside Police in 1985 and has made an exceptional contribution to policing and to public service over the last four decades. During his time in the police, he served as a detective at every rank. This included becoming the first commander of the nationally recognised Matrix team, which is responsible for tackling gun crime and gun-enabled crime.
He was appointed Assistant Chief Constable at Lancashire Constabulary in 2008, returning to Merseyside Police in 2012 as Deputy Chief Constable. He was appointed as Chief Constable in 2016, during which time he led the biggest reorganisation of the force in its 40-year history.
Nationally, Andy has held some of the most high-risk portfolios in policing. He transformed witness protection through the creation of the United Kingdom Protected Persons Service and has been the national policing lead for serious organised crime and the national lead for crime.
In April 2021, Andy was appointed HM Inspector of Constabulary and HM Inspector of Fire & Rescue Services at His Majesty’s Inspectorate of Constabulary and Fire & Rescue Services (HMICFRS). And on 1 April 2022, Andy was appointed as HM Chief Inspector of Constabulary and HM Chief Inspector of Fire & Rescue Services.
Since his appointment, Andy’s work has led to significant improvements being made in policing and fire at a national level and in individual forces and services. He has repeatedly highlighted the changes that need making to improve culture and leadership and to increase focus on the issues that matter most to communities.
Andy’s knighthood follows previous commendations, including the award of the Queen’s Police Medal in the 2014 Queen’s Birthday Honours. In 2021, he was made a Deputy Lieutenant of the Merseyside Lieutenancy and in 2023, an honorary fellow of Liverpool John Moores University.
His Majesty’s Chief Inspector of Constabulary and Fire & Rescue Services, Andy Cooke QPM DL said:
“I am deeply humbled to be awarded this high honour by His Majesty the King. Making communities safer has been my life’s work, and this recognition is a testament to the incredible people I’ve been lucky enough to work with throughout my career.
“I joined policing to make a difference and I’ve loved every role I’ve held over the last 39 years. It was a privilege to lead Merseyside Police, working alongside thousands of dedicated and professional officers, staff and volunteers. I took a special pride from keeping my own community safe, where I was brought up and still live today.
“More recently, as His Majesty’s Chief Inspector, I’ve been able to help drive substantial improvements in police forces across England and Wales and fire and rescue services in England. This is vitally important work, and I will continue to hold forces and services to the highest standards.
“I would like to thank my colleagues who have supported me throughout my career and my family, who have always stood by my side. This honour belongs as much to them as it does to me.”
Notes
- At His Majesty’s Inspectorate of Constabulary and Fire & Rescue Services (HMICFRS), we inspect, monitor and report on the efficiency and effectiveness of the police and fire and rescue services with the aim of encouraging improvement.