A WEST Wales police officer has appeared on TV to talk about his goal of getting rid of domestic abuse in the area.

Dyfed-Powys Police’s chief constable Dr Richard Lewis says it could take a generation to end domestic violence and believes that work needs to start now.

He has allowed S4C to follow him for the last 18 months for a three-part series called Y Prif (The Chief).

The 48-year-old was appointed in 2021 and had a brief to transform the performance of his force, which is responsible for policing two thirds of Wales. He has found the most far-reaching and challenging task to eliminate domestic abuse across the force area. He admitted to scepticism and criticism within the force in relation to the ambitious target, saying: “People tell me it’s an impossible task to try and get rid of domestic abuse completely.

“’Why are you saying that?,’ they ask. ‘You’re making my work impossible.’ They just think its not realistic, we’re never going to achieve it, and that it’s pie in the sky.

“It may take a generation. It’s a project that will take years, but it’s a project that’s worth starting now. We are the first police force to state publicly that this is our aim.”

He is known as an outspoken and controversial figure and has created media headlines due to his controversial views including suggesting a ban on Delilah being sung during international rugby matches at Wales’ Principality Stadium due to its misogynistic undertones. More than three million saw the tweet, with more than 10,000 responses. “I know that everyone won’t agree with me, but some of those responses were over the top.”

In the first episode of Y Prif he goes on patrol to see what challenges his force is facing, with the second episode focusing on tacking drug use and the third looking and the challenges of policing domestic abuse.

The first episode aired on S4C on Tuesday, December 5 and will be available on S4C Clic and BBC iPlayer. English subtitles are available.