Top job re-advertised after only two people apply to be head of South Yorkshire Police

South Yorkshire Police Authority has been forced to resume its search for a new chief constable to replace Meredydd Hughes, who will retire on Sunday after 32 years’ service.

Deputy Chief Constable Bob Dyson will lead the force until Mr Hughes’s successor takes over.

An advert for the job will be posted on the website of the UK’s most powerful police body, the Association of Chief Police Officers (ACPO).

The Yorkshire Post understands that the only applicants to have expressed an interest so far are the National Policing Improvement Agency’s chief executive, Nick Gargan, and a deputy chief constable currently serving at a neighbouring force.

A spokesman for South Yorkshire Police Authority, said: “Had the process gone ahead with more applicants, we would have been looking to interview at the end of the October.

“Re-advertising will mean we will now interview at the end of November so this will only delay the process by four weeks.

The spokesman added: “This will not incur any additional costs as we will only need to re-advertise on the ACPO website. We are confident we will have a chief constable appointed by the turn of the year.”

Mr Hughes began his career with South Wales Police in 1979 and also served West Yorkshire and Greater Manchester before joining South Yorkshire Police as deputy chief constable in 2002.

He became Chief Constable in 2004.

South Yorkshire is the second force in the region to have struggled to fill a chief officer’s position this year.

In June and July, North Yorkshire Police Authority interviewed four officers for the role of deputy chief constable but decided none of the candidates was suitable.