Paul Furnell is the Director of Safer Communities at Mitie.  Prior to joining Mitie, in Oct of last year, Paul was the Assistant Chief Constable and Head of Public Contact, Specialist Investigations and Criminal Justice at British Transport Police. Paul has been a serving police officer for 34 years and has held senior detective roles in the Crime, Intelligence, Safeguarding and Public Protection spheres within three separate Police forces, as well as being appointed to the Head of Operations & Investigations for the South East Regional Organised Crime Unit targeting major, serious and organised criminal activity.  Paul oversaw the Force’s Crime Investigations, Public Protection, Safeguarding, Covert Policing, Intelligence, Contact and Criminal Justice capability coordinating overt and covert investigations aimed at disrupting serious criminality and protecting vulnerable people.
 
Paul has amassed considerable experience and expertise in the world of Safeguarding & Public Protection, both within the policing, sporting and voluntary sectors, with a focus upon protecting children, vulnerable adults and tackling male violence against women and girls, targeting those who pose them the most risk. His work has seen him influence national agendas, legislation and change, whilst redesigning the approach to Public Protection and safeguarding in three Police forces over the past 12 years. The current reforms pioneered within BTP have resulted in Child Abuse, Violence Against Women and Girls, County Lines and CSE being placed firmly within the force’s safeguarding agenda and priorities whilst securing long term commitment to increased operational activity alongside policing partners and third sector stakeholders across the UK.