Steve Ashman was selected for Accelerated Promotion early into his career. Following completion of the Strategic Command course, he became an Assistant Chief Constable in 2009. He led one of the largest manhunts in British Police history and personally led Operation Sanctuary which tackled the sexual exploitation of vulnerable women and girls in what was the largest ever investigation of its kind.
As the youngest ever Chief Constable of Northumbria Police, he led a period of reform that delivered significant cultural change amidst challenging financial restraint. He has deployed internationally on several occasions to provide specialist advice at critical times to Oman, Libya and the Caribbean. He is a highly experienced firearms and public order commander and is assessed regularly on national courses for both disciplines including the specialist use of firearms. Since leaving full time policing, he has worked in the Middle East advising and assessing in a law enforcement environment.
Steve delivers training and assesses many UK police forces and Higher Education Institutions, undertaking EPAs for student police officers and providing teams of coaches and assessors for universities across the UK. Delivering EPAs to seventeen police forces his organisation was graded as ‘Outstanding’ in delivering EPA services (DQB inspection Jan 2023). In addition, he is a lay member of the Royal College of Surgeon’s Invited Review team and a volunteer for the NHS.
Teaching
College of Policing Assessor for the Senior Police National Assessment Centre (SPNAC) since 2009. Module lead for undergraduate Policing Bsc at Northumbria University. Lecturer on PCDA at Northumbria University. Delivery of coaching and assessing 17 police forces currently.
