The Police Authority is responsible for employing the Chief Officers (ACPO) of Surrey Police – hiring them, assessing their performance and, if necessary, disciplining or dismissing them.

Scroll down to read more about Surrey’s Chief Officer team:

Chief Constable Lynne Owens

Lynne Owens’ tenure as Chief Constable of Surrey Police began in February 2012.

Lynne began her police career in the Metropolitan Police Service, posted to Catford in South East London. She transferred to Kent Police on promotion to Sergeant, where she trained and specialised as a detective. As a Detective Chief Inspector she was posted to the force major crime department as a Senior Investigating Officer.

Lynne transferred to Surrey Police in 2002, becoming a Divisional Commander in 2003 covering three boroughs. In January 2005, she was appointed Temporary Assistant Chief Constable (Specialist Operations). During that time she qualified as a Gold Firearms Commander and took Gold Command of a number of critical incidents. Following successful completion of the Strategic Command Course, she was appointed Assistant Chief Constable (Territorial Operations), with responsibility for territorial divisions, partnership, criminal justice and neighbourhood policing.

In March 2008, Lynne was appointed as the Temporary Deputy Chief Constable leading a significant organisational change programme, professional standards department and collaboration in the South East Region.

In April 2009 she transferred to the Metropolitan Police Service, having been appointed substantively as the Deputy Assistant Commissioner responsible for Territorial Policing.

In December 2010 Lynne took up post as an Assistant Commissioner and was appointed to the MPS Management Board. She took the lead for public order policing in London, including the delivery of the Royal Wedding, and other uniformed specialisms. She was also responsible for a second business group leading the Specialist Crime Directorate.

Lynne was awarded the Queens Police Medal for distinguished service in the New Years Honours (2008).

Craig Denholm’s policing career began in the Metropolitan Police, moving on to senior roles at the National Criminal Intelligence Service (NCIS) and Hampshire Constabulary before beginning his first tenure at Surrey. His most recent posting has been at the Metropolitan Police, where he served as Commander with responsibility for Specialist Operations and Counter Terrorism.

This portfolio covers a broad range of policing activities, from roads policing to emergency planning across the county.  

ACC Kirkby has had a long association with Surrey Police, beginning his career here as a Constable in 1983. 

Prior to taking up the ACC post on a permanent basis, Jerry served as Temporary ACC in Surrey, and in that time led the Force’s well publicised project to encourage Surrey officers to use their discretion to resolve low-level incidents without resorting to formal action. This work has resulted in substantial increases in public confidence and satisfaction, as well as saving many hundreds of hours of officer time.

 

Assistant Chief Constable Olivia Pinkney

Olivia is a member of both the Surrey and Sussex Chief Officer teams and is responsible for collaboration on major crime, firearms and scientific support, as well as leading for the two forces on the South East Regional Organised Crime Unit.  She is also the Sussex lead on counter terrorism. In addition, Olivia is the national ACPO lead for migration and related matters.

She is from Devon and has an MA in mathematics from Cambridge University.  She started her police career as a PC with Avon and Somerset, progressing to Detective Sergeant, Detective Chief Inspector, Head of Special Branch, BCU Superintendent and BCU Commander.  She moved to Sussex in 2009 as ACC in charge of Protective Services and policing at Gatwick.

Clare started her career with Surrey Police in 1991 in the Criminal Justice department, later moving into call handling and incident management.

She transferred to Headquarters in 1996 to support the implementation of a new Command and Control system before moving into ICT training. She went on to specialise in learning & development and qualified as a chartered member of CIPD, prior to moving to North Surrey division in 2003 as an HR Manager. In 2006 she returned to Headquarters as Head of Employee Relations, then as Head of HR Operations.  After completing the Strategic Command Course in March 2009 Clare became Head of Corporate Development, when her responsibilities included Strategic Planning, Audit & Review, Performance Management & Consultation and Strategic Change.