Nottinghamshire Police has announced that Chief Constable Kate Meynell has been diagnosed with cancer and is currently away from work while she undergoes treatment.
A temporary Chief Constable has been appointed to cover the absence of Meynell, who has held the position since 2022.
In her absence, PCC Gary Godden has asked DCC Steve Cooper to step up with immediate effect as the temporary Chief Constable.
ACC Rob Griffin will in turn become the temporary Deputy Chief Constable.
Before her appointment, Meynell had led investigations into some of the most high-profile crimes in the East Midlands, including the murder of 15-year-old Leicestershire schoolgirl Kayleigh Haywood, and the Philpott case – where six children were killed in a house fire in Derby.
She also spent two-and-half years as Nottinghamshire Police’s assistant chief constable leading the force’s knife crime strategy, and she chaired the regional strategic response to the Covid pandemic.