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| David Baines |
By Tad Stoner
In a surprise announcement on Tuesday afternoon, the Office of the Governor named Assistant Chief Constable of the Cheshire Constabulary, David Baines, as the new Commissioner of the Royal Cayman Islands Police Service (RCIPS).
The announcement capped months of speculation that followed the Government’s January advertisement of the position, sparking predictions that Acting Commissioner of Police James Smith would gain appointment by virtue of experience in the position.
Mr Smith could not be reached for comment, but HE the Governor, Stuart Jack, praised Mr Smith, saying he had been of “tremendous benefit” to the Cayman Islands.
“Commissioner Smith has done an excellent job under very difficult circumstances,” the Governor said. “His professionalism and dedication to the task set for him, particularly in relation to Operations Tempura and Cealt, has been a tremendous benefit to the Royal Cayman Islands Police Service and
the community.”
Successive police operations Tempura and Cealt are anti-corruption investigations involving police conduct. Tempura, led by the governor’s Special Police Investigation Team under Senior Investigating Officer Martin Bridger, started strongly in September 2007, but was stymied by controversy in 2008.
Operation Cealt, scheduled for a spring launch, remains in its infancy with an unclear leadership structure. Mr Smith had vowed to appoint a new team of independent investigators to replace Mr Bridger’s group.
Meanwhile, Mr Baines, 47, will take up his post on 1 June. He began his career in 1976, joining the Lancashire Constabulary as a police cadet at age 16. He spent five years in uniform patrol and support unit roles before joining the Criminal Investigation Division.
He remained a detective between 1982 and 1999, gaining promotions to divisional detective, major crime unit inspector, Special Branch and counter-terrorism duties, culminating in Chief Inspector.
He also spent three years in the National Crime Squad, the forerunner of the Serious Organised Crime Agency. As Branch Commander, responsible for three specialist teams comprising 75 detectives, he investigated international fraud, money laundering and corruption within the UK and Europe, focusing on Spain, Holland and Belgium.
In 1998, he attended the Wolfson Management Programme at Cambridge University, where he is currently completing a Master of Studies course in international relations.
In 2000, Mr Baines moved to the Greater Manchester Police as Chief Superintendent and head of corporate performance, developing community policing and reaching out to ethnic and inner-city communities in Oldham and Salford, often described as “deprived” and “challenging”.
After graduating at the top of his 2005 National Strategic Command Course for senior UK police officers, Mr Baines moved to the Cheshire Constabulary in January 2006 as Assistant Chief Constable, with additional training in firearms, public order and diversity. Working with KPMG accountants, he created “Quest”, a Home Office-recognised programme to improve efficiencies in
local police.
The 946-square-mile county of Cheshire, on the central northwest coast of the UK, boasts a population of nearly 1 million with 24 police stations and 2,200 officers, responsible for major, organised and economic crime, public order, firearms control and counter-terrorism. A new £1m helicopter is scheduled to operate around the clock.
In welcoming the new Police Commissioner, the Governor said, “I am looking forward to working with David Baines. I am confident that he has the skills and experience to see through the modernisation of the police service and meet the needs of this community.”
While in Cayman, Mr Baines will be joined by his wife Anne. The couple has three children, the youngest of whom is at university.
Beyond policing, Mr Baines lists his hobbies as military history, reading, running, scuba diving, travel and motorcycling.
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