Lincolnshire Chief Constable farewell

He retires from the force after joining as Chief on February 1, 2017 and after having completed 31 years in policing.

Mr Skelly started off in Lothian and Borders Police in 1990, completed the command course at Bramshill in 2004 and the following year, a Diploma in criminology at Cambridge. Before joining Lincolnshire Police, he was deputy Chief Constable at Devon and Cornwall Police, having joined there from Police Scotland.

He was born on the east coast of Scotland and it is to his native Scotland that he will now return, with his wife Jane, and where his two adult daughters currently live.

By his own admission, one of the highlights of Mr Skelly’s calendar over the last four years in the county has been the Lincolnshire Police Christmas Carol Concert at Lincoln Cathedral.

It was due to take place at the cathedral tonight, but because of the restrictions relating to the Coronavirus pandemic, has not been physically possible.

Instead, the Force has put together a virtual concert for people in Lincolnshire, and of course wider afield, to watch and enjoy.

Opening the concert, Mr Skelly said: “We’ve got a fantastic programme of music, readings, and carols for you to sing along with at home.

“It’s been an extraordinary year in so many different ways - challenging and difficult for us as individuals, for Lincolnshire Police, and for all of our communities across the whole county. Unfortunately, there are still going to be difficult times ahead.

“Today, the 18th of December, is my last day as a police officer and my last day as your Chief Constable.

“As I look back and reflect on my 31 years, I consider all of the fulfilment and all of the good things that I’ve experienced as a police officer. Everyone who is associated with policing knows the sacrifices that we make as individuals and as family to ensure that we can do our duty and keep the public safe.

“I’m particularly grateful for all the support and help that I’ve been given by my family during my service. I’m really aware that there are times I should have been with those I loved and for me, the good that I was doing, the value that I was adding, had to add up and outweigh those sacrifices that those around me were making.

“I hope you, my peers and colleagues, can say as I can that it did and that the good has outweighed those difficult choices that I had to make over those years.”

Mr Skelly was delivering the carol concert opening from a space inside Lincoln Cathedral that is set to become the Emergency Services Chapel.

It is the first chapel of its kind in the country and the first new one in generations for the Cathedral.

He added: “This is a space where we as a police family will be able to come, reflect in silent contemplation on those who have given through the course of their service, but also to remember with joy all of the good work that they did as part of the policing family.

“Finally, I’d like to wish you a very pleasant carol concert evening and thank you for allowing me to be your Chief Constable.”

Watch the full Christmas Carol Concert at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J-1gHtGf79M&feature=youtu.be from 7.30pm tonight, Friday, December 18.