THE new top dog at Cheshire Police has officially started in the hotseat after being sworn in as chief constable last night.

Former Met officer Simon Byrne is now in charge of Cheshire’s police force.

He said: “This is a really exciting day as I take over leadership of a police force that has a real sense of pride in serving the public and innovating.

"My priorities will be to improve visibility, using the latest tactics to fight crime and equipping front line officers with the right technology, to reduce bureaucracy and stay one step ahead of the criminal."

Chf Con Byrne has previously been Assistant Chief Constable at Merseyside Police, and Deputy Chief Constable at Greater Manchester Police.

Despite only officially starting the job on Tuesday, the police boss has already overseen Operation Clean Sweep.

As revealed in last week’s Warrington Guardian, the operation by Cheshire Police saw criminals targeted who failed to show up at court.

John Dwyer, Police and Crime Commissioner for Cheshire, appointed the new chief.

He said "It’s fantastic to have Simon on board.

“He’s been finding his feet and observing how the force operates, which will help him hit the ground running.”

In an interview with the Warrington Guardian in February, Chf Con Byrne said he was focused on keeping front line police officers on the street.