A cuckoo in the nest?

For the second time in just over a month, two days spent in the austere halls of Royal Courts of Justice gave further, and, at times, quite remarkable, insight into the inner workings of five different policing bodies: The Police Federation, a police force Misconduct Panel, Her Majesty’s Inspectorate of Constabulary, a Police and Crime Commissioner’s (PCC’s) officeContinue reading “A cuckoo in the nest?”

Stories untold: A Disaster of a book

I thought long and hard about writing this piece. Over the past four years I have made friendships that I deeply cherish amongst the bereaved families, survivors and vanguard campaigners of the Hillsborough Disaster – and I would never, ever contemplate putting that camararderie at risk. On my visits to Warrington to hear sittings ofContinue reading “Stories untold: A Disaster of a book”

Operation Barium too hard to swallow?

On 7th July, 2009 I wrote to Sir Norman Bettison, then Chief Constable of my local police force. He was offered intelligence over the misconduct of a number of his junior officers and a newspaperman’s instinct that all was not well within West Yorkshire Police. Shortly afterwards, I received a telephone call from his staff officerContinue reading “Operation Barium too hard to swallow?”

Protected: Crompton and Jones: Two of a kind?

There is no excerpt because this is a protected post.

David Crompton: The South Yorkshire Police years

The recently suspended Chief Constable of South Yorkshire, David Crompton, joined the police service in 1982. He is the son of Sir Dan Crompton, a former Manchester officer who later became Chief Constable of Notts Constabulary. Crompton senior topped up his post-retirement pension by serving with Her Majesty’s Inspectorate of Constabulary, a sinecure which is now most noted forContinue reading “David Crompton: The South Yorkshire Police years”