JO SHINER says she is excited and humbled to become the county’s first woman chief constable.

She served as Sussex Police’s deputy chief constable for 18 months.

Now she has taken on the top job from Giles York, who retired this summer after six years in the job.

She is the first woman to be appointed to the role in the force’s history, after starting her career as a PC on the beat in Norfolk in 1993.

And Sussex is now only the third force in the country to have women in post as both a Chief Constable and as an elected Police and Crime Commissioner.

The Argus:

Sussex PCC Katy Bourne with new Chief Constable Jo Shiner, making Sussex only the third force in the country to have women as the top deam duo in charge

Asked if she could ever have foreseen one day leading a force Ms Shiner said: “Absolutely not. I think that is what is fantastic about policing.

“It takes you to places and gives you opportunities that you would never think or believe you could have.

“I am incredibly excited and feel hugely privileged and humbled to be the new chief constable of Sussex Police.”

She rose from the rank of PC to superintendent in Norfolk before joining Kent Police in 2014 as assistant chief constable.

She joined Sussex as deputy chief constable in 2018.

The Argus:

Chief Constable Jo Shiner formally starts in her role this month

She said: “I am incredibly proud to have come up through the ranks.

“Giles York has been hugely inspirational to me.

“He knew how to lead people and I thoroughly enjoyed working with him for the past 18 months.”

Mr York said policing can be an “addiction” that is difficult to let go of. He described Jo Shiner as a capable and “forward-thinking” officer.

Sussex Police has now become the third force to be led by women in the top two positions.

Meanwhile there are also women on the top team, as the temporary deputy chief constable is now Julia Chapman and temporary assistant chief constable is Jayne Dando.

The elected Sussex Police and Crime Commissioner is Katy Bourne.

The Metropolitan Police is run by Commissioner Dame Cressida Dick and PCC Sophie Linden and North Yorkshire Police is run by Chief Constable Lisa Winward and PCC Julia Mulligan.