Chief Constable Lisa Winward

Lisa started her police career in North Yorkshire Police in 1993 as a Special Constable in York. She joined Humberside Police as a regular officer in 1994 and worked through to the rank of Inspector, via a number of community and detective roles, in the challenging social demography of Grimsby and Hull.

Having joined the High Potential Development Scheme in 2003, she ventured into roles such as professional standards, and communications and planning where she authored the policing plan on behalf of the Police Authority and the Force. As a Chief Inspector in the business change team, Lisa led on a force-wide workforce modernisation programme.

In 2008, she transferred to North Yorkshire Police and worked within the York and Selby Basic Command Unit (BCU) senior management team as Chief Inspector, Operations. She remained at York on promotion to Superintendent, Operations, and went on to be the Commander for the City between 2009 and 2013. During this time she also attended the FBI National Academy Leadership course in Quantico, Virginia, for 11 weeks. The course involved completion of a number of assessed Masters-level modules on leadership, international policing, intelligence-led policing and child victims and perpetrators. Subsequently Lisa undertook roles at force level as the Executive Officer to the Chief Constable, and Head of Uniformed Operations for the Force.

Lisa has held the roles of Head of Major Crime, Specialist Operations, Criminal Justice and Force Intelligence alongside supporting the change programme linked to affordability and collaboration.

In May 2016 Lisa took up Chief Officer responsibility for Local Policing, and in February 2017 she became Deputy Chief Constable at North Yorkshire Police.

Lisa Winward assumed temporary command of North Yorkshire Police on 16 April 2018, following Chief Constable Dave Jones’ announcement that he was to retire from policing after 32 years of distinguished service. On 15 August 2018 she was confirmed in post by the Police and Crime Panel, becoming the permanent Chief Constable of North Yorkshire Police.

At a national level, Lisa is Chair of the National Police Chiefs’ Council’s (NPCC) Local Policing Coordination Committee (Local Policing (npcc.police.uk) and is the NPCC lead for Intelligence, a portfolio of the NPCC Crime Coordination Committee.

Lisa was awarded the Queen’s Police Medal in the Queen’s last birthday honours list in June 2022 for her services to policing.

Lisa is married to David, a retired Humberside officer, and enjoys socialising, skiing, gardening and long country walks.