Deputy Chief Constable Rachel Farrell

Rachel has served as the Deputy Chief Constable of Dorset Police since July 2023. Prior to this, she was the Assistant Chief Constable with responsibility for Crime, Criminal Justice, and Local Policing.

She began her policing career in 1995 with Hampshire Constabulary, where she served for 26 years and developed a broad portfolio of operational and leadership experience. Rachel spent much of her career as a detective in CID, specialising in major and serious crime. As an accredited PIP3 and PIP4 Senior Investigating Officer, Rachel has led complex investigations across areas including homicide, public protection, child abuse, rape and serious sexual offences, and criminal intelligence. Her work has been driven by a deep commitment to protecting vulnerable people and securing justice by holding offenders to account.

Rachel has also held uniformed neighbourhood policing roles and has a strong understanding of the specific challenges faced by rural communities. Throughout her career, she has played a key role in shaping policing approaches to rural crime. In addition, she has led in city command roles, worked in Contact Management, and delivered a range of strategic reviews and improvement projects.

As a senior leader, Rachel is passionate about delivering high-quality public service and driving meaningful change through innovation and collaboration. She is committed to building strong, effective partnerships that prevent harm, reduce crime, and create safer communities.

A key responsibility of the Deputy Chief Constable is to uphold standards and shape the culture of the organisation. Rachel recognises the fundamental importance of trust, integrity, and professionalism in policing, and is actively leading a number of initiatives to strengthen the legitimacy of the service and maintain public confidence.

Rachel is equally dedicated to supporting and developing people. She has been a long-standing advocate for coaching and mentoring, helping individuals to achieve their full potential. As a senior leader, a working parent, and someone with neurodiversity, she brings lived experience to her leadership and has championed many equality, diversity, and inclusion initiatives across her career.

As of December 2025, DCC Farrell became the NPCC Lead for Crime and Incident Recording Standards.

With nearly three decades of service, Rachel brings experience, compassion, and determination to her leadership. She remains firmly committed to protecting the public, supporting her teams, and delivering a professional and ethical police service the public can trust.