New chief constable announced for Staffordshire Police

David Gardner has been announced as the new chief constable for Staffordshire Police.

Gardner, currently acting chief constable at Warwickshire Police, was named by the county's police, fire and crime commissioner Ben Adams as his preferred candidate for the top job.

He replaces Chris Noble, who was sacked in July after he was found to have committed gross misconduct.

None of the allegations against Noble, which involved his time at Humberside Police as well as in Staffordshire, can be reported because of restrictions set by a misconduct panel.

The Staffordshire force has been led by Acting Chief Constable Becky Riggs since August 2025.