A FORMER chief constable of a Welsh police force is to return to policing at troubled Cleveland Police.

Ian Arundale has been appointed as Deputy Chief Constable of the force, which was placed in special measures last month.

He was chief constable of Dyfed-Powys Police between 2008 and 2012 and more recently has been involved in working with international law enforcement, as well as advising on policing matters as an expert witness.

Chief Constable of Cleveland Police Richard Lewis said: "Ian is highly-respected across policing and I’m pleased he is joining our leadership team. He shares my drive and determination to steer Cleveland Police in the right direction for the people of Teesside. By having someone of Ian’s calibre as my deputy it will allow me to focus my efforts entirely on the challenges that we face over the coming year and lead the Force to where it should be.”

He said the appointment came as he 'embarks on a path to redirect Cleveland police with a focus on service improvement'.