Home Secretary Suella Braverman has announced the appointments of new inspectors of police and fire services.

Lee Freeman KPM and Michelle Skeer QPM take up the dual roles of His Majesty’s Inspector of Constabulary in England and Wales and Inspector of Fire and Rescue in England.

They step into the positions at a time when many of the country’s forces are in crisis or riven by scandals.

Since May 2017, Mr Freeman has been Chief Constable of Humberside Police.

In January 2019, he was asked to support Cleveland Police as interim Chief Constable during a period of crisis.

He also served as a police officer at Lincolnshire Police between February 2010 and April 2015, reaching the rank of Assistant Chief Constable. Mr Freeman was awarded the King’s Police Medal in 2023.

Since March 2018, Mrs Skeer has been Chief Constable of Cumbria Constabulary, having joined the force in 1990.

She performed a variety of operational roles before moving to the criminal investigation department where she held roles at every rank and led on both public protection and serious crime operations. Mrs Skeer was awarded the Queen’s Police Medal in 2017.

Home Secretary Suella Braverman said: “I’m pleased to welcome Lee Freeman and Michelle Skeer to these important roles, where they will play a vital part in ensuring that our police forces and fire and rescue services provide the excellent service that the public rightly expects.”