The Chief Constable heads the Chief Officer Team. The Chief Constable is responsible for:

• the direction and control of the force
• the management of the budget and use of funds to deliver the objectives set out in the Police and Crime Plan

The Chief Constable is accountable to the Police and Crime Commissioner (PCC) and is responsible to the courts for police operations.

Tim Smith has over 31 years police service with Kent Police, with the exception of a short secondment to South Australia Police in 2009. Tim has served in uniform local policing roles however, the majority of his service has been in detective roles both in local policing and specialist roles including Major Crime, Serious and Organised Crime, Public Protection and Special Branch. Tim is also an accredited and experienced Senior Firearms Commander.

Tim took up the role of Chief Constable on 13 October 2022. The Chief Constable leads the Chief Officer Team and is responsible for:

• the direction and control of the force; and
• the management of the budget and use of funds to deliver the objectives set out in the policing plan

Prior to taking up the role of Chief Constable, Tim’s most previous roles were Deputy Chief Constable, Assistant Chief Constable (ACC) for Crime, ACC for the Serious Crime Directorate and Divisional Commander for North Kent; a division encompassing the main urban areas of Kent bordering London.

Tim has led complex and large-scale investigations, including in 2006 being one of the senior investigating officers for the Securitas Robbery - the largest ever peacetime cash robbery and more recently being the Gold Commander for Operation Melrose – the trafficking and manslaughter of 39 people found deceased in a refrigerated trailer. In addition, Tim also led an European Union funded project to roll out internet child protection tools to all 28 EU member states, as well as several other countries around the world.

Tim has a passion for criminal investigation and previously performed the role of Head of Crime for the force, during which time he helped develop the current policing model aimed at improving the force’s response to vulnerable people. In addition, he is the National Police Chiefs' Council lead for the kidnap and extortion portfolio.

Biography

Peter Ayling took up the position of Deputy Chief Constable on 6 January 2023. Peter undertook the role of Temporary Deputy Chief Constable from 4 October 2022 and Assistant Chief Constable (local policing) from 18 June 2018 to 3 October 2022.

Peter joined Kent Police in 1998 working in a variety of roles including local policing, public order and firearms command and strategic partnerships.

In 2011 he joined the Metropolitan Police Service on promotion to superintendent.

During his time in the Metropolitan Police Service Peter had responsibility for more than 1,500 officers and staff as the Borough Commander for Westminster, where he led on a number of critical issues including the aftermath of the Westminster terror attack.

As a member of the Metropolitan Police Service Advanced Public Order Cadre Peter commanded in high risk and complex environments across London including mass protest, high profile football fixtures and ceremonial events.

Nigel Brookes assumed responsibility for local policing in Kent in December 2024, moving across from the central operations directorate.

Nigel joined Kent Police in 2019, taking on the role of Divisional Commander for East Kent before being appointed as Temporary Assistant Chief Constable. Following a secondment to the College of Policing, leading work on development of the national Homicide Prevention Framework, he completed the Strategic Command Course in 2022.

Having began his career in the Metropolitan Police Service, Nigel worked in a variety of roles including local policing, special branch and royalty protection, before being posted as a Superintendent to Haringey and Enfield Boroughs. He was a member of the Met’s Advanced Public Order Commander Cadre, taking leading roles in numerous high-risk and complex policing operations including Premier League football, large-scale protest and security operations including the 2012 Olympics. He is a nationally accredited Gold Public Order Commander and Strategic Firearms Commander.

Simon Thompson was appointed as Temporary Assistant Chief Constable for Crime in July 2025.

During his 26-year career in Kent Police, Simon has worked across all directorates and all three divisions, in both uniform and detective positions, including roles within the Serious Crime Directorate and Tactical Operations. He has been in senior leadership positions since 2009, has been an accredited detective in all ranks, as well as being a commander for both firearms and public order operations.

Simon was the operational lead for the policing and multi-agency response to Covid, the planning for EU Exit, as well as the border closure in 2020.

Before joining the Chief Officer team Simon led the Divisional Policing Review, a major project designed to create larger more resilient teams who are able to deliver high quality and effective investigations, with particular focus on vulnerability and violence against women and girls.

Before joining the Force Change Team, Simon was East Division Commander, overseeing uniformed policing and investigations across the east of the county.

Tracey Quiller was appointed Temporary Assistant Chief Constable for Central Operations in January 2025.

Joining Kent Police in 1998, Tracey was based across West and North Kent, where she rose to the rank of Chief Inspector, becoming the area’s District Commander.

Tracey later moved to the force’s Tactical Operations Command, overseeing areas including Firearms, Public Order and Dogs. Of note, she oversaw the force’s response to the UK’s exit from the European Union.

Her final post prior to promotion to Chief Officer was as Head of Learning and Development for the force.

Tracey has also served as the Chair of Kent Police’s Kent Network of Women for five years, leading the network into its 20th year in 2024.

Simon Wilson was appointed to Assistant Chief Constable for Crime on 27 February 2023.

Simon joined Kent Police in 1998 starting his policing career in Gravesend. In 2002 he joined Crime Group gaining his detective accreditation and completing a degree in Applied Criminal Investigation.

Simon has worked in a variety of different detective roles, throughout his career and at all ranks from detective constable to detective superintendent – leading, managing and investigating major, serious, series and complex investigations. Simon has also led both North and West Division as the Divisional Commander where he was responsible for the policing response across investigations, response policing, neighbourhood policing and intelligence.

Simon also had two periods where he worked outside of Kent:
Between 2013 and 2014 Simon was seconded to the Ministry of Justice, working across the criminal justice system, leading a national digital project.
Most recently Simon was seconded to the National Police Chiefs’ Council as the lead for Homicide Prevention where, working with colleagues from across policing, he developed and launched a national response to homicide prevention.

Gavin McKinnon OBE DL was appointed Director of Corporate Communications in July 2010 and is the longest serving member of Kent Police’s Chief Officer Team.

An armed forces veteran, Mr McKinnon served in the Ulster Defence Regiment CGC, before becoming a police officer with the Royal Ulster Constabulary GC. Rising to the rank of Chief Superintendent, Mr McKinnon also held a number of national policing roles including Senior Legal Advisor to the Association of Chief Police Officers, Deputy Director of Police Reform at the Home Office, and Communications Director at the National Policing Improvement Agency.

He is a graduate of the US Senior Management Institute for Police, the Bramshill Police Staff College, and the University of Cambridge Masters in police leadership program.

Mr McKinnon has volunteered as a Special since leaving the regular police in 2010, becoming Chief Officer of the Kent Special Constabulary in 2012. In 2014 Kent’s Specials became the first to receive the Queen’s Award for Voluntary Service – the highest award for volunteering in the UK. He established the Kent Volunteer Police Cadets in 2015, which went on to become the first in the UK to receive the King’s Award for Voluntary Service in 2024.

He was awarded a Churchill Fellowship for international research on volunteer policing in 2014, an OBE for services to policing in 2023, and was commissioned as a Deputy Lord-Lieutenant of Kent in 2026.

Claire Medhurst joined Kent and Essex Police in July 2023 as Director of Support Services.

Claire already has significant policing experience, having first joined Kent Police in 2002 as a Finance Assistant. She also spent time in Forensics, before moving into the Support Services Directorate in 2014, with her final role being Interim Head of Procurement, before leaving to join HM Courts and Tribunals Service.

In her role within the Courts Service, Claire worked in an operational delivery role, overseeing the delivery of major outsourced services such as interpreters and custody officers.

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