Owain Ceri Richards has been appointed the Commissioner of the Royal Gibraltar Police, on the retirement of Mr Richard Ullger. Mr Richards will take up appointment on the 1st July 2025 for an initial tenure of four years.

A statement from His Excellency the Governor, the Government of Gibraltar and the Gibraltar Police Authority follows below:

His Excellency the Governor and Commander-in-Chief, Lieutenant General Sir Ben Bathurst KCVO, CBE, acting on the advice of the Gibraltar Police Authority in accordance with the provisions of the 2006 Gibraltar Constitution Order, has appointed Mr Owain Ceri Richards as the Commissioner of the Royal Gibraltar Police, on the retirement of Mr Richard Ullger. Mr Richards will take up appointment on the 1st July 2025 for an initial tenure of four years.

H.E. The Governor, Lt Gen Sir Ben Bathurst said: 'I'd like to offer my warmest congratulations to Commander Owain Richards for being selected for the role of Commissioner of the Royal Gibraltar Police, in succession to Commissioner Richard Ullger who moves on to a well-deserved retirement after 37 years of service. Owain brings a wealth of experience from Dyfed-Powys Police and the Metropolitan Police, spanning the challenges of community policing, serious and complex crime, and safeguarding vulnerable people. He will bring a fresh approach to policing Gibraltar, leveraging the latest techniques and concurrently, he will draw on the depth of experience of the RGP.'

The Chair of the Gibraltar Police Authority, Peter Montegriffo KC, said: 'I am delighted on behalf of Gibraltar Police Authority to welcome the appointment of Commander Owain Richards as the new Commissioner of the Royal Gibraltar Police force. The GPA has undertaken a fair, open and thorough recruitment process. This has involved the assessment of both internal RGP and external candidates, each of whom have demonstrated extensive experience and policing expertise. I would like to thank outgoing Commissioner Richard Ullger for his many years of dedicated commitment to the RGP and Gibraltar. We look forward to working with Mr Richards and the other senior officers of the RGP at this challenging time for law enforcement.'

The Chief Minister, the Hon Fabian Picardo KC MP, said: "I would like to congratulate Commander Owain Richards on his appointment to be the next Commissioner of the Royal Gibraltar Police to succeed Richard Ullger. I was delighted at the very high standard of applications this role attracted. Our intention has been to get the best possible resource for the RGP at this time when policing is facing a number of new and complex challenges. The Government looks forward to working with Mr Richards in dealing with them and keeping Gibraltar safe.

Responding to his appointment, Commander Owain Richards said: 'I am deeply honoured to be appointed as Commissioner of the Royal Gibraltar Police and look forward to leading the force in serving and protecting the people of Gibraltar. Policing is built on trust, partnership, and professionalism, and I am committed to strengthening community relationships, tackling crime, and ensuring the highest standards of service. My focus will be on keeping Gibraltar safe for all who live, work and visit here, and I look forward to working with officers, staff, and partners to achieve that goal.'