Deputy Chief Constable Tim Madgwick will act temporarily as chief constable of North Yorkshire Police when the present incumbent Grahame Maxwell retires later this year.

This will enable the new Police and Crime Commissioner (PCC), due to be elected in November, to make a substantive appointment once in office.

Jane Kenyon, chairman of North Yorkshire Police Authority, said: “The authority is delighted that Mr Madgwick has agreed to act as chief constable upon Mr Maxwell’s retirement. He is a talented officer and clearly has the support of the authority and the force and is highly regarded by his senior colleagues and others both within and outside North Yorkshire Police.

“We applied initially for the approval of the Home Secretary to make an appointment for a longer period – our judgement being that the organisation would benefit from the certainty of longer term leadership – but that request was denied. It is clearly the Home Secretary’s desire that incoming PCCs should be in a position to make those appointments.

“Mr Madgwick has been fulfilling the role of deputy chief constable since June last year and has done so admirably. There is a very talented team of senior managers around him and we are confident that this arrangement will work well.”

Mr Madgwick said: “I am delighted and very honoured to be offered this opportunity to serve the people of North Yorkshire and look forward to taking up the post in the near future.”