Assistant Chief Constable Catherine Clarke

Catherine Clarke joined North Yorkshire Police in August 2023 as Chief Superintendent, Local Policing.

Catherine has transferred from Durham Constabulary, where had worked for seven years. She graduated from Nottingham Trent University in 2001 with a BA (Hons) degree in European Business and Spanish, and joined Gloucestershire Constabulary in 2004, based in Response Policing in Cheltenham.

After a spell as Temporary Sergeant on a Neighbourhood Team followed by a Prisoner Handling Team, in 2010 Catherine was selected for the High Potential Development Scheme and on promotion to Sergeant she worked as Staff Officer to the Chief Constable, focussing on Excellence in Policing and Organisational Development. She also gaining a coaching accreditation.

Catherine then moved into CID as a Detective Sergeant. This was followed by a year as a Force Incident Manager in the Force Control Room, where she also undertook the initial Tactical Firearms Commander role. From there Catherine moved back into a Detective Inspector role in Intelligence and undertook the Cadre Tactical Firearms Commander course and progressed to Detective Chief Inspector. During this time she also graduated from Warwick University with a Masters Degree in Police Leadership & Management.

In 2016 Catherine moved northwards and transferred to Durham Constabulary as their Head of Control Room. In 2018, having moved to Response, she was promoted to Superintendent.

In 2020, after a period of maternity leave, Catherine returned to lead a project overseeing the new Investigative Hub and Custody project. In 2022 she moved into the role of Head of Digital, Data & Technology (DDaT) and then temporarily held the rank of Chief Superintendent as Commander for DDaT and People.

Throughout her career she has also undertaken Public Order policing at every rank and has experience in each Command role. Catherine is now a Public Order & Public Safety Gold Commander with experience of commanding public events such as Cheltenham Races, Lumiere, Durham Constabulary’s response to Operation London Bridge and various spontaneous public safety and public order events. She is also a Strategic Firearms Commander and has been a Hostage and Crisis Negotiator for 10 years.

Catherine lives just north of the force border with her young daughter, her partner and two dogs.

Catherine was appointed Temporary Assistant Chief Constable in December 2023, and Assistant Chief Constable Local Policing and Safeguarding in June 2024.