Barbara Wilding, CBE, QPM, CCMI, FRSA
Chief Constable South Wales Police
Miss Wilding joined the Jersey States Police as a cadet in 1967 and was attested as a constable in 1970. In 1971, she transferred to the Metropolitan Police where she predominantly served as an operational detective throughout London and on specialist units in New Scotland Yard. She became an Assistant Chief Constable in Kent Constabulary in 1994. In 1998, she transferred to the Metropolitan Police as Deputy Assistant Commissioner and served as Director of Strategic Resources and also Specialist Operations, where she commanded the Security and Protection Directorate which included protection of Ministers, Royal Family, Special Branch, Heathrow Airport, covert intelligence and the specialist firearms unit. Miss Wilding was appointed Chief Constable of South Wales Police on 1st January 2004.
Miss Wilding is a Co-Director for the Police National Assessment Centre for senior command. She holds the ACPO Acquisitive Crime portfolio and is a mentor of the ACPO Terrorism and Allied Matters Committee. She also oversees a National Mentoring Scheme for women Superintendents.
Miss Wilding read criminology at London University and is Honorary Fellow of Cardiff University; Companion of the Chartered Management Institute and Fellow of the Royal Society of Arts. She is also a Member of the Royal Institute for International Affairs and Royal College for Defence Studies. Within Wales, she is a Board Member of the Big Lottery, Council Member of the Prince’s Trust Cymru and Advisory Board Member of the BITC. She was awarded the Queen’s Police Medal in the Millennium Awards 2000 for distinguished service to policing. Miss Wilding was honoured in the Queen’s 80th Birthday Awards when awarded Commander of the British Empire medal for her services to policing.
Miss Wilding is married and has two daughters at University.
