The New Face at The Old Bill

As someone who loves the outdoors, is a bit of a motorcyclist and has experience in handling large sporting events, it’s almost like Russ Foster was made to be the island’s Chief Constable.

Mr Foster will join the island’s constabulary in February 2023, working alongside Chief Constable Gary Roberts, who is retiring after 39 years of serving the island.

Speaking ahead of his move from deputy chief constable for West Yorkshire Police, Mr Foster said he is ‘looking forward’ to joining the island’s community.

He said: ‘My reasons for applying were a mixture of personal and professional. I am in a unique position whereby I’ve got the flexibility to work and reside in any part of the world.

‘I have many hobbies including outdoor pursuits and the Isle of Man certainly provides a fantastic environment with excellent facilities and opportunities to pursue my interests and enhance my quality of life.

‘Professionally I have an ambition to reach my full potential and reach the rank of Chief Constable and take on the responsibilities that come with that role, including that operational independence.

‘It’s quite a unique role in the Isle of Man, being responsible for a Crown Dependency, a whole country, it’s certainly very different. I’m looking for a new challenge and the Isle of Man certainly presents a unique challenge moving forward.’

Far from being complacent about the issues facing the Isle of Man, Mr Foster says he is well aware of the challenges the job will bring and the issues facing the Manx constabulary such as country lines, the exploitation of children and vulnerable adults and community issues such as mental health, anti-social behaviour, cybercrime, financial crime and road safety. 

Mr Foster also isn’t a stranger to the island, having been here on holiday before.

He said: ‘I think it’s beautiful, it’s picturesque, certainly where I am in the East Midlands, I work in Yorkshire, but live in the East Midlands, I’m landlocked and from a personal perspective, you’ve got beautiful scenery, there’s plenty to do around mountain biking, walking, but also being very close to the coast as well so there are opportunities for sailing and enjoying everything the coast presents.’

Experience

With over 30 years’ experience in policing, a master’s degree in Police Leadership and Management, nearly 10 years as a senior officer, as well as a CV including a proven record as a trained, accredited and experienced counter-terrorism commander, specialist strategic firearms commander, strategic public order commander and sporting events commander, Mr Foster is coming into the job as a highly experienced officer.

However, Manx policing is slightly different, you not only have to be all those things, you need to be a community leader and be willing to represent not only the Constabulary, but the island as a whole. 

Mr Foster said this is a side of the job he is looking forward to.

‘Throughout my 30 years of service, I’ve had that opportunity and I’ve been privileged to work in both uniform and investigation roles and undertaken specialism, investigated homicides and tackled organised crime, addressing gun crime and other gang and drug-related criminality as well.

‘I’ve also been head of professional standards and dealt with corruption. But equally, I have had responsibility for a geographical area and community policing and I see that as the bedrock of policing.

‘I currently work in the fourth largest forces in England and Wales and some of our success has been, despite austerity, retaining that neighbourhood footprint whereby we are visible, accessible and responsible to local communities with a clear focus around working with other partners, both statutory and voluntary, but also mobilising communities to undertake problem-solving around anti-social behaviour.’

He added that representing the island’s Constabulary in that civic role is also something he is very much looking forward to.

One of the problems highlighted by Gary Roberts in his annual reports in recent years has been the issue of officers’, particularly junior officers, pay. 

Mr Foster said this is something that he is seeing in his current role and an issue for communities as a whole.

He said: ‘I think when you’re competing with other public services, other private sectors, who are paying more, then we are struggling to recruit police officers.

‘You need individuals who are absolutely wedded to public service. There used to be the old adage that police officers get paid well for what they do, but they don’t get particularly well paid for what they might have to do.

‘I don’t think that is true nowadays, I don’t think police officers get paid well for what they do, regardless of what they might have to do, so it is something to have a clear focus on, particularly around attracting and retaining police officers, especially on the Isle of Man where unemployment is so low.’

TT

While the role of the police in the actual races themselves is different to how it was previously, the fortnight is still a busy time for the island’s officers.

However, with a career including policing major sporting events, as well as being a ‘fairweather motorcyclist’ himself, Mr Foster is excited to be working as part of the Constabulary during the TT.

He said: ‘This is one of the things that is an advantage for the two months with Gary to get that seamless handover because it is such a unique event.

‘However, I have had experienced with major public events and public order events, I have worked in gold command for the British GP at Silverstone, and I have had the responsibility for politicking Premier League football matches, music festivals and protests across the East Midlands and Yorkshire, so I am certainly experienced in sporting events and these are skills which I’m sure will be transferable to the policing the TT races going forward.’

*Fun fact, Gary Roberts is the longest-serving chief constable in the British Isles, very much making him the Arsene Wenger of the policing world.