New Chief Inspector for Welwyn Hatfield

A new Chief Inspector has been welcomed to Welwyn Hatfield following the retirement of Chief Inspector Pete Frost.

Born in Welwyn Garden City, Chief Inspector Chris Rutter has taken up responsibility for local policing across the district and is looking forward to serving the community. He oversees both the Response Team, who deal with 999 emergencies, and the Neighbourhood Policing Team, who focus on long‑ and short‑term issues including anti‑social behaviour.

Having spent the past few weeks settling into the role, CI Rutter praised the dedication of local officers. He said: “I’ve already seen some fantastic work being carried out by our teams here in Welwyn Hatfield. It’s clear there is a real commitment to keeping people safe, and my priority is to ensure that this high standard of service continues.”

CI Rutter joined the constabulary through the Police Now graduate scheme after studying French and Spanish at the University of Cambridge. His career has included roles in Response and Neighbourhood Policing, a secondment to the Home Office, the Force Control Room, Workforce Development and Custody. He also currently serves as the force’s Deputy Lead Negotiator.

Explaining his motivation for joining the police, CI Rutter said: “I’ve always known I wanted to work in public service. I value having a sense of purpose and being able to make a genuine, tangible difference to people’s lives.”

Committed to building trust and openness, CI Rutter is keen to strengthen engagement between the police and the public, including plans to establish a local Independent Advisory Group (IAG). These groups provide residents with the opportunity to offer advice and constructive challenge, complementing existing forcewide IAGs that focus on race and violence against women and girls.

He added: “I want to hear from the community and actively involve people in policing. Whether that’s visiting our crime‑prevention stalls, following us on Facebook, or signing up to Herts Connected, there are lots of ways for residents to stay informed and connected.

“I’m also keen to continue our strong partnership working. Projects like the Knife Angel showed clearly that Welwyn Hatfield is a community that cares and wants to work together, which is hugely positive.”

Outside of work, CI Rutter has had a busy few weeks, having recently got married, moved house and started his new role all within the same month. He enjoys spending time with his young family and has recently taken up a new hobby with his two-year old son – birdwatching!

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