Profile

Rachel Kearton was appointed as Chief Constable for Suffolk Constabulary in September 2022, having previously served as Deputy Chief Constable since 2018.  Rachel joined the Constabulary in September 2015 as Assistant Chief Constable following a career break during which time she worked for the Foreign and Commonwealth Office based in Turkey.  

CC Kearton has more than 30 years' policing experience, serving in Hampshire and West Yorkshire Police before joining Northumbria Police in 2007.  From 2004 to 2006 Rachel was seconded to the Home Office where she designed and led the Race and Diversity programme, and introduced work-based assessments for sergeants' and inspectors' exams across the country.  Rachel is currently the National Police Chiefs’ Council lead for Race, Religion & Belief, the Senior Women in Policing network, and Police Sport UK. 

Rachel has worked in a variety of roles including Head of Northumbria's Specialist Operations, area policing commander in districts in Northumbria and West Yorkshire, and Head of Northumbria's Corporate Development Department. 

Qualified as a Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development, Rachel has a strong interest in people development, and is a qualified co-director and assessor for the national College of Policing assessment centres.  She is also a voluntary contributor for the charity Speakers For Schools that seeks to stretch the ambitions of young people.