THE new chief constable of South Wales Police officially takes up his role in the new year.

Matt Jukes will become the new chief constable from January 1 after the retirement of Peter Vaughan.

Mr Jukes will lead Wales' largest police force having served as assistant chief constable and deputy chief constable for the past eight years.

He said: “I’m delighted and humbled to succeed Peter Vaughan as chief constable of South Wales Police and to have the opportunity to take the force forward is a tremendous privilege.

"I’m very proud of our people and our many partnerships that have done so much to keep south Wales safe.

"We cannot stand still against the challenges we now face and I am determined to maintain our progress in preventing crime and protecting our communities."

Looking ahead to future challenges and his priorities as the new chief constable, Mr Jukes added: “Challenges of modern day policing will require us to change, develop and invest in areas such as digital crime, both directly in terms of fraud offences and online sexual offences but also in the everyday experience of harassment, bullying and abuse which now often has a digital dimension.

"We continue to reveal hidden harm and vulnerability, which means that the confidence of victims to report sexual offences and domestic abuse has increased."

Mr Jukes has pledged his commitment to protecting neighbourhood policing and utilising the latest technology to keep the communities of south Wales safe.

"South Wales Police is a beacon force in respect of the use of technology. We’ve introduced body-worn video and are now identifying suspects every week using ground-breaking facial recognition,” he said.

“We are leading on several innovative projects to prevent crime and victimisation with prevention central to the priorities set out in the Police and Crime Reduction Plan, alongside vulnerability and technology. All of this takes place in a period of continued financial pressure.

"A great deal of prevention takes place on the frontline in our communities which is why I am a firm believer in neighbourhood policing.

"Addressing many of the issues on the streets of south Wales, such as the impact of mental health, homelessness and rough sleeping, lies beyond the police alone but I am clear that we need to be visible and active with partners and in support of our communities. There are areas like tackling organised crime where we will continue to take robust and co-ordinated action.

“By working in partnership with other organisations I hope we can continue to reduce the vulnerability of the public and the demands on our services.”

Mr Jukes has appointed Richard Lewis as the force’s new deputy chief constable.

Mr Jukes added: “I am absolutely delighted that Richard has been successful in his application to become deputy chief constable.

"His long-standing connections with the force and the communities of South Wales put him an ideal position to take on the role.

"During his time as assistant chief constable, his vision has put South Wales Police at the forefront of developing technology and innovation in modern day policing.”

Mr Lewis was sworn in as a constable in 1987 and has served at various ranks across South Wales Police.

He was appointed as assistant chief constable in 2013.