Prescott insists tsars will curb police chiefs’ alleged failings

A gross misconduct disciplinary hearing is this week beginning into allegations against suspended Cleveland Chief Constable Sean Price who is also the subject of a criminal investigation into alleged corruption in his force.

Earlier this month, Cumbria police chief and former West Yorkshire officer Stuart Hyde was suspended over allegations of serious misconduct, and Sir Norman Bettison, the chief constable of West Yorkshire Police, was referred to the Independent Police Complaints Commission (IPCC) over his alleged role in the Hillsborough cover-up.

Meanwhile North Yorkshire chief Grahame Maxwell stepped down earlier this year after admitting gross misconduct over a relative’s application to join the force.

Speaking to the Yorkshire Post yesterday from his “battle bus” where he is campaigning to be the Humberside PCC, Lord Prescott said he believed the new commissioners – who will be able to hire and fire chief constables – will help to curb police failings at a senior level.

“There will be much more accountability,” said the former Deputy Prime Minister, who was visiting Scunthorpe where he pledged to launch a major drugs summit.

“That power is there and we will be in a very powerful negotiating position.”

Lord Prescott was joined on the campaign trail by Shadow home secretary Yvette Cooper who said she was “shocked” at the scale of the Hillsborough cover-up –where 164 police statements were altered – and that depending on the IPCC’s findings, “criminal investigation and disciplinary issues” should follow.

“Of course it is right that the police officers who were in the report should be referred to the IPCC for investigation,” the Normanton MP said.

“The thing about policing in this country is you have a trust in policing by the community.

“What we learned from the Hillsborough report was deeply shocking.

“You had the dreadful events on the day where 96 people lost their lives but also you had families who had to wait 23 years to find the truth and now what they need is justice.”