In this first part of a three-part PolicingTV series, Chief Constable Mark Roberts of Cheshire Constabulary reflects on the experiences that shaped his policing career. From joining Greater Manchester Police almost by chance after university, to working in investigations, counter-terrorism, football policing and senior leadership, Mark looks back on the people, decisions and opportunities that helped take him from a beat officer in Salford to chief constable.
The conversation also explores the importance of strong early role models, the lessons Mark learned from policing major football matches at Old Trafford, and the value of experiencing different forces and command teams. He reflects on his time in Greater Manchester, Cheshire and South Yorkshire, including helping turn around a struggling force, before returning to Cheshire – a force he describes as one of the strongest performers in the country.
The conversation continues on 8th October, with Part Two exploring ‘the leadership approach behind Cheshire’s strong performance’. Be sure to tune in.
Key takeaways
- Mark Roberts joined policing after university without having a long-term plan to become a chief constable.
- Early mentors and supervisors had a major influence on how he approached policing and leadership.
- A senior officer once told him that hard work could take him all the way to chief constable.
- Mark gained experience across both uniform and detective roles throughout his career.
- His investigative background included murder investigations and counter-terrorism work around the time of the 7/7 attacks.
- Football policing became a major part of his career while commanding operations at Old Trafford.
- Working in Greater Manchester, Cheshire and South Yorkshire gave him very different perspectives on police leadership and culture.
- Mark says the experience of helping turn South Yorkshire around shaped the leadership approach he later brought back to Cheshire.
Chapters
00:36 – How Mark Roberts joined the police
04:01 – “One day you might be a chief constable”
05:16 – How football shaped his policing career
08:13 – From murder investigations to counter-terrorism
09:48 – What different police forces taught him
10:32 – Why leadership fit matters
11:40 – Helping turn South Yorkshire around
13:00 – Returning to lead Cheshire Constabulary
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