Tag: IPCC

Sir Norman Bettison has resigned as chief constable of West Yorkshire Police over Hillsborough inquiry

Sir Norman Bettison has resigned as chief constable of West Yorkshire Police, saying an inquiry into his role after the Hillsborough tragedy was “a distraction” to the force.

At the time of the disaster he was a South Yorkshire Police inspector who attended the match as a spectator and later took part in an internal inquiry.

Sir Norman has denied claims he helped “concoct” a false version of events.

He had been due to retire in March but had faced calls for him to go early.

The Independent Police Complaints Commission (IPCC), which is undertaking two investigations into Sir Norman, issued a statement saying: “Retirement or resignation does not prevent criminal prosecution should the investigation identify criminal offences, including misconduct in a public office.”

Margaret Aspinall, chairwoman of the Hillsborough Families Support Group, said: “I’m absolutely delighted he’s gone but as far as I am concerned he should have been sacked.

“I would now like to know what payments and pension he’s going to get.

“Any financial benefits should be frozen until the outcome of the investigation into the cover-up.”

West Yorkshire Police Authority said media attention and the investigations by the IPCC were “proving to be a huge distraction for the force”.

Statements altered
Sir Norman has been referred to the IPCC over allegations he provided misleading information after the disaster, in which 96 Liverpool fans died.

Last month, a report by the Independent Hillsborough Panel revealed 164 police statements by South Yorkshire Police were altered – 116 of them to remove or change negative comments about the policing of the FA Cup semi-final between Liverpool and Nottingham Forest at the Sheffield stadium.

It revealed a cover-up took place to shift the blame on to the victims, and that 41 of the 96 who died could have potentially been saved if they had received treatment earlier.

In a statement last month, Sir Norman said: “Fans’ behaviour, to the extent that it was relevant at all, made the job of the police, in the crush outside Leppings Lane turnstiles, harder than it needed to be.”

He apologised a day later saying Liverpool fans were “in no way to blame” for the disaster and that he was sorry if he had “caused any further upset”.

Sir Norman’s resignation comes after candidates bidding to become West Yorkshire’s police and crime commissioner called for him to stand down now rather than retire in March as planned.

In a statement, he said: “The police authority, and some of the candidates in the forthcoming PCC elections, have made it clear that they wish me to go sooner.

‘Deep concerns’

Sir Norman’s resignation was announced by the West Yorkshire Police Authority
“I do so, not because of any allegations about the past, but because I share the view that this has become a distraction to policing in West Yorkshire now and in the future.”

The police authority said Deputy Chief Constable John Parkinson would take up the role of acting chief constable.

A Home Office spokesperson said Sir Norman’s resignation was “a matter for the police authority”.

Policing minister Damian Green said it was important that the West Yorkshire force was able to get on with the job of policing.

“If the inevitable deep concerns surrounding all of this – which, clearly, would be very, very understandable – were getting in the way of doing that job, then it is clearly sensible to allow West Yorkshire Police to get on with their important work.”

BBC

October 25, 2012
UK: Police Chief constable and his deputy arrested and suspended

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

August 4, 2011
Man wrongly jailed after Northants Police ‘mistakes’

Mistakes by a police force contributed to an innocent man being jailed for indecent assault, a watchdog has ruled.

Warren Blackwell, of Woodford Halse, was jailed having been found guilty of sexually assaulting a woman with a history of false claims against men.

A report by the Independent Police Complaints Commission (IPCC) criticised Northamptonshire Police’s handling of the case.

Mr Blackwell, 40, spent more than three years in jail before being cleared. The IPCC report said a detective was told the woman was “unreliable” and “unstable” but did not pass the information on.

Delay in apology Mr Blackwell was accused of a violent sexual assault by a woman who had suffered mental health problems and had a history of making false allegations.

The IPCC report criticised police for failing to challenge discrepancies in the woman’s account and for not interviewing witnesses whose evidence would have undermined her claims.

The report said one officer, which the IPCC felt should have faced a misconduct hearing, had retired from the force.

Two detectives have been given management advice about their conduct. Mr Blackwell had his conviction overturned by the Court of Appeal in September 2006. Northamptonshire Police only apologised to Mr Blackwell four years after he had been cleared. The IPCC said it was “dismayed” it had taken so long to issue an apology.

Mr Blackwell was jailed after a woman claimed he indecently assaulted her outside a social club in the early hours of 1 January, 1999 after a New Year’s Eve party.

Mr Blackwell was convicted in October 1999 at Northampton Crown Court, despite maintaining his innocence.

He was jailed for three years – later increased to five.

But the conviction was overturned after the case was referred by the Criminal Cases Review Commission (CCRC).

Commissioner Amerdeep Somal, of the IPCC, said: “As the Court of Appeal has ruled, Warren Blackwell was subject to a terrible miscarriage of justice.

“Nothing can bring back the three years four months he wrongly spent in prison.

She said a request that the Chief Constable withdraw a commendation given to the detective constable by the former Chief Constable for the original investigation had not been accepted.

She also expressed her “deep dissatisfaction” for the “unacceptable” length of time the force had taken to resolve disciplinary matters.

“Such unnecessary delay is neither in the public interest, nor in the interest of all those involved, including the police officers,” she said.

In October 2006, Mr Blackwell’s accuser was named in the House of Lords by Labour peer Lord Campbell-Savours during exchanges about the rape laws.

“Warren Blackwell was subject to a terrible miscarriage of justice”

Commissioner Amerdeep Somal IPCC

BBC

June 18, 2010
Servants, Not Masters

Nick Hardwick, chairman of the Independent Police Complaints Commission (IPCC), will appear before the Home Affairs Select Committee as the fallout surrounding allegations into the use of force at the protests grows increasingly acrimonious.

Mr Hardwick said he had “serious concerns” about front-line supervision of officers at this month’s demonstrations in the City of London and said police needed to remember that they were “servants, not masters” of the people.

Mr Hardwick’s comments came as former Metropolitan Police Commander John O’Connor, warned that current Met chief, Sir Paul Stephenson, risks losing the support of rank and file officers if the investigation into allegations of abuse became a “witch hunt.”

So far almost 90 complaints have been made about the use of force at the G20 protests.

The IPCC launched its third investigation into police tactics on Saturday after a 23-year-old London man claimed he was assaulted by a Met Police officer.

The commission is already investigating events leading up to the death of newspaper seller Ian Tomlinson on April 1, and an allegation of an assault on Nicola Fisher at a vigil for Mr Tomlinson on April 2.

Keith Vaz, the Labour chairman of the Home Affairs Select Committee, said MPs would examine the controversial “kettling” tactic used to contain demonstrators.

An IPCC spokesman said more than 185 complaints had been received relating to G20 of which almost 90 were from alleged victims of – or witnesses to – excessive police force.

Other footage of a riot officer apparently hitting a protester with a riot shield has also been published and is being examined by Scotland Yard.

The Met Police said it was also looking at video footage posted on Saturday on YouTube by the Climate Camp group which shows another man apparently being punched in the face by a police officer.

ITN

April 19, 2009