Sussex Police have announced the name of the new deputy chief constable of the county.

Joe Edwards, currently an assistant chief constable with Essex Police, will take up his new post on October 1.

The chairman of Sussex Police Authority, David Rogers, said: "We are delighted to be able to announce this first-class appointment, selected from an excellent field of candidates."

Mr Edwards, 44, has spent most of his police service with Hampshire Constabulary, joining as a PC in 1980 and rising through the ranks to chief superintendent.

He has experience as a divisional commander, in Havant from 1994 to 1997, and as a senior investigating officer.

He moved to Essex on promotion to assistant chief constable in 1999 and was involved in two high-profile operations at Stansted airport - the Korean air crash of December 1999 and the hijack of February 2000.

He is a member of the Association of Chief Police Officers' use of firearms working group and has been 'gold' commander for international football policing operations, including the 2002 World Cup in Korea and Japan.