Chris Porter, Director of Forensic Services at the Metropolitan Police, has been selected as the new NPCC Forensic Quality Working Group Lead. Chris will take over with immediate effect following the retirement of Deputy Chief Constable David Lewis.
In response to his appointment Chris has said:
"I am delighted to be given this opportunity to work with the many talented people working to maintain and extend quality standards in forensics. My thanks go to David Lewis for his leadership in this area and I look forward to working with all those involved."
Chris Porter will bring a wealth of experience to the portfolio. He was appointed as the Director of Forensic Services in August 2018 and is responsible for leading a team of nearly 1,200 forensic practitioners, scientists, engineers and police officers providing a wide range of forensic services for the Met and nationally for counter terrorism policing. Externally, he supports the work of a number of forensic organisations; including representing the MPS within the European Network of Forensic Science Institutes, and on behalf of the Home Office, is Chair of the Strategic DNA Project Board.
Congratulating Chris on his role, Forensic Capability Network’s CEO, Jo Ashworth, said:
“This is an excellent appointment. Accreditation and quality standards present a huge challenge to forensic science, and it is vital we have leaders who give teeth to policing’s response to these risks. Chris will bring a rigorous and tenacious approach to the portfolio and its new quality standards board. I’m confident he will help raise the profile of quality and standards across policing, as well as constructively challenging the FCN and Transforming Forensics teams to raise the bar of our work. Thank you to DCC Lewis for his dedication to quality and standards over recent years.”
NPCC Forensic Lead, Chief Constable James Vaughan, added:
"I would like to formally welcome Chris in this substantive role within the Forensic Portfolio, I very much look forward to working with him and wish him every success in the role."