West Midlands Police has a new leader at its helm following the sudden departure of its top officer. Scott Green has been appointed as the Acting Chief Constable after the immediate retirement of former Chief Constable Craig Guildford.
Leadership Change Amid Mounting Pressure
The decision for Craig Guildford to retire was confirmed on the afternoon of 16 January 2026. This followed growing calls for him to step down from his role. The pressure intensified after the force faced significant criticism for its decision to ban Maccabi Tel Aviv fans from a match against Aston Villa in November 2025.
Home Secretary and Birmingham MP Shabana Mahmood had publicly stated she lost confidence in his leadership. Subsequently, the Police and Crime Commissioner for the West Midlands, Simon Foster, announced the change, stating it was in the "best interest" of the force. Mr Foster confirmed Scott Green's appointment to the acting role.
Who is Acting Chief Constable Scott Green?
Scott Green brings decades of policing experience to the role, beginning his career in the 1990s with South Yorkshire Police. He progressed through the ranks of the Criminal Investigation Department and worked with the forerunner of the National Counter Terrorism Policing network.
After reaching the rank of Chief Superintendent and serving as District Commander for Barnsley, he moved to Staffordshire Police as Assistant Chief Constable in 2020. There, he oversaw contact, response, partnerships, and neighbourhood policing.
In a key career move, he joined Greater Manchester Police (GMP) in September 2021 as part of a new chief officer team tasked with leading the force out of special measures. Inspectors had found GMP failed to record over 80,000 crimes. Green was responsible for all ten policing districts and helped guide GMP out of special measures in just over nine months.
He first arrived at West Midlands Police as Deputy Chief Constable in April 2023. In his new acting role, he will be responsible for the overall performance of the force. Green is a qualified Public Order Gold Commander, Multi-Agency Gold Incident Commander (MAGIC), and Specialist Strategic Firearms Commander. He also serves as the National Police Chiefs’ Council (NPCC) lead for Alcohol Harm and Vulnerability.
Life and Qualifications Beyond Policing
Scott Green's expertise extends beyond operational policing. He holds a Bachelor’s degree in Chemical Process Engineering and Fuel Technology from the University of Sheffield and a Master’s degree in Criminal Justice from the University of Leicester.
His master's dissertation focused on the impact of the Sir William Macpherson Report—following the racist murder of Stephen Lawrence in 1993—on police training. Outside of his policing duties, Green is a Fellow of the Royal Society of Arts (FRSA) and has held several significant voluntary roles.
These include being a Non-Executive Director of Sheffield Children’s NHS Foundation Trust, a governor at three schools, a Trustee of Bluebell Wood Children’s Hospice, and a Trustee of Sheffield Futures, a charity supporting young people and adults.
With the appointment, Jen Mattinson has been chosen by Green to serve as Acting Deputy Chief Constable. The force now looks to its new acting leadership to steer it forward following a period of intense public and political scrutiny.
