Temporary Assistant Chief Constable Dave Stalker

Dave joined Cumbria Constabulary in January 1998 and spent his initial service on response before transferring to CID in 2002. Since then, he has worked in a variety of postings across all ranks. Whilst most of his service has been within the detective field, he saw a return to uniform response at both patrol Sgt and Insp level, which gave a real insight in to the demands on the frontline.

As a detective he started in source handling before moving across to reactive CID. It was whilst working as a Detective Constable that Dave was seconded to the Met Police Anti-Terrorist Branch for twelve months following the 2005 London Bombings as part of the major enquiry team. In addition to that secondment, he also benefited from a four-year attachment as a DS to the UK immigration service, to assist in the creation and supervision of the regional organised immigration crime teams across the Northwest.

At the conclusion of that secondment, Dave spent a period of time in uniform as a patrol Inspector, before returning again to reactive CID as South Area Detective Inspector (Operations). Following that he held a role in the South Public Protection Unit, dealing with the most vulnerable children and adults within our community, before HQ Intelligence and Serious and Organised Crime Units as a T/DCI​. Dave returned to CID as a substantive DCI in 2017 where he managed serious crime and detective assets. Dave left that role to become Head of Professional standards, with delegated responsibility as the Appropriate Authority for Conduct, Complaints and Anti-Corruption.

Upon promotion to Detective Superintendent (Head of Investigations – comprising CID and Force Major Crime), Dave reflects that he observed this as the biggest step taken in terms of autonomy, responsibility and accountability. Whilst in this role Dave introduced, with other key participants, the Investigative Principles, a framework aimed at improving standards of investigation across the Constabulary. Dave was also the Senior Investigating Officer for Op Darwin, a Category A homicide, which successfully convicted 6 key people for the brutal murder of 26 year-old Lee McKnight, for which they each received life tariffs.

Dave spent a brief period of time as Head of People, within Corporate Support, which oversaw HR, OHU, Learning and Development and Professional Standards functions. In March 2022 Dave was successful at promotion to Detective Chief Supt, where he currently occupies the role Crime Commander. Dave now has strategic responsibility for Specialist Crime, Public Protection, Forensics and Intelligence under the recent force restructure.

Dave is an accredited PIP3 and PIP4 Senior Investigating Officer, as well as Lead Senior Identification Manager for the force in terms of Disaster Victim Identification. Parallel to his professional qualifications he also attained an MSC in Strategic policing from the University of Cumbria.

Dave is married with three children and lives in South Cumbria.