Cleveland police chiefs suspended after arrestsChief constable and his deputy suspended following questioning over fraud and corruption allegations
The chief constable of Cleveland police and his deputy have been suspended by their police authority after being arrested by detectives investigating fraud and corruption.
Sean Price, the chief constable, Derek Bonnard, his deputy, and the former force solicitor Caroline Llewellyn, were taken in for questioning in the early hours of Wednesday as part of a wide-ranging investigation into allegations of corrupt practices.
The arrest of the two most senior officers in the force has left Cleveland police in crisis and comes after the resignation three months ago of the chairman of the police authority, which is also under investigation.
Price is also the subject of a separate investigation by the Independent Police Complaints Commission (IPCC) that he used “undue influence” to get an individual appointed to a position within the force.
Price, Bonnard, and Llewellyn, who recently received £213,379 in a voluntary redundancy payoff, were questioned by detectives at a police station in North Yorkshire on suspicion of misconduct in a public office, corrupt practice and fraud by abuse of position. The criminal inquiry, being run by Warwickshire police with the help of officers from North Yorkshire, is understood to be a major and complex investigation that includes an examination of the awarding of business contracts by the police authority.
As part of the investigation searches were carried out at properties linked to those who were arrested. Shortly after the three were taken in for questioning members of Cleveland police authority – which has previously strongly backed the chief constable – held an extraordinary meeting behind closed doors where they voted to suspend Price and Bonnard.
In a statement a spokesman for the authority said: “Cleveland police authority can confirm that it has been made aware of potential conduct matters involving chief officers of Cleveland police.
“The authority can confirm that two chief officers have been suspended from their posts with Cleveland police while the investigations are being considered. It should be emphasised that suspension is a neutral act and it should not be inferred from the decision to suspend that the potential conduct matters have been proven in respect to the two chief officers concerned.”
The authority added that it had referred the matters to the IPCC.
The inquiry by Warwickshire police began after a review by Her Majesty’s Inspectorate of Constabulary into the way some individuals within Cleveland Police Authority “may have conducted some of its business”.
After the review misconduct issues were passed to the IPCC and the criminal investigation began under the command of Keith Bristow, chief constable of Warwickshire, using North Yorkshire detectives.
A spokesman for Warwickshire police said: “Police officers conducting a criminal investigation into a number of people with current or past associations with Cleveland police authority and the manner in which the authority may have conducted some of its business have arrested three people on suspicion of misconduct in a public office, fraud by abuse of position and corrupt practice.
“Two men and a woman were arrested and have been taken to a police station in North Yorkshire where they will be interviewed.”
Shortly after the Warwickshire investigation began in May the chairman of Cleveland police authority, Dave McLuckie, resigned. He could not be contacted yesterday but has denied any wrongdoing.
The IPCC inquiry into Price is ongoing. It is investigating an allegation which emerged out of the HMIC review, that the chief constable used “undue influence” to get a job for McLuckie’s daughter.
Price has responded to the IPCC inquiry by threatening legal action. “I completely refute the accusation, which I regard as malicious as I took no part in the recruitment process,” he said. “I further believe the allegation is mischievous in seeking to cause comparison with recent events in other forces.
“I want the matter to be cleared up as soon as possible and I am sure that everyone will realise the damage that such an allegation could have on my personal standing and confidence in the force. In addition, I am taking legal advice regarding any action I may take in the future.”
Price, who has been chief constable of the force since 2003, is on a remuneration package of £191,905 this year. The salary includes a payment of £54,421, which the police authority agreed to pay him to stop him being poached by other forces.
Under his watch crime has gone down in the Cleveland force, one of the smallest in the country.
Cleveland police would not comment on the arrests. They referred all inquiries to Warwickshire police.
The IPCC said in a statement: “The IPCC can confirm that it has been informed of developments and would anticipate referrals from the police authority.”
The Guardian