On Monday 1 July, Assistant Chief Constable Becky Riggs became the National Police Chiefs’ Council Lead for Child Protection and Abuse Investigation, taking over from Ian Critchley QPM who has a new role with the College of Policing.

Becky has 32 years of policing experience, having begun her career with Dorset Constabulary as a police cadet in 1992. She worked in operations for 10 years, as well as taking on the role of an armed response officer, she was also a specialist firearms officer and close protection officer before taking up the role of detective in public protection leading on Multi-Agency Public Protection Arrangements (MAPPA), Reactive Criminal Investigation Department and Rape and Serious Sexual Offences (RASSO) investigations. 

Photo of ACC Becky Riggs

In 2013, Becky moved to Hampshire Police as a detective chief inspector, becoming force lead for child abuse investigations, child sexual exploitation, worked in partnership across four Local Safeguarding Children’s Partnerships and implemented the force Multi-Agency Safeguarding Hubs (MASH.) She later became the head of serious and complex crime and was the regional lead for family liaison.

Later, Becky moved to the Metropolitan Police and as a superintendent, she ran local policing and operations for the borough of Lambeth, which included the local policing response to critical events such as the London terror attacks and Grenfell Tower. Following the attacks, Becky moved to counter terrorism command and became the senior investigating officer for the London Bridge Borough Market Terror attack, seeing the investigation through to conclusion of the inquests in 2019. Becky also led on the National/International development of Counter Terrorism family Liaison.

Becky was promoted to Detective Chief Superintendent in the City of London Police, where she held a national role in Action Fraud and the National Fraud Intelligence Bureau and played a lead role in securing funds for the new fraud and cybercrime reporting and analysis service (FCCRAS). Becky then took a high prolife role as Head of Professionalism, driving critical areas such as Violence Against Women and Girls (VAWG), the Police Race Action Plan, Professional Standards, Equality, and Inclusivity.

Becky joined Staffordshire Police in January 2023. She has responsibility for force crime and specialist investigation teams such as Child Protection, RASSO, Exploitation, Serious and Organised Crime and Major Crime.

Becky has a real passion for delivering specialist teams and investigations to ensure vulnerable people are protected, especially children. She is immensely proud of being selected as the new national lead for Child Protection, Abuse and Investigations and is excited to begin her work for the portfolio.