West Yorkshire Police The Chief The Commissioner & The Corruption

Mark Burns-Williamson became a member of West Yorkshire Police Authority in 1999, and became Chair in 2003. In 2005 he was appointed Deputy Chair. In May 1993 Norman Bettison was appointed Assistant Chief Constable of West Yorkshire Police, where his portfolios included Management & Information Support, Personnel, and Operations Support. In 2005 Norman Bettison retired from the police but was head hunted in 2006 by West Yorkshire Police Authority and was appointed as Chief Constable for West Yorkshire Police. The current Chief Constable of West Yorkshire Police, Mark Gilmore, served with West Yorkshire Police under Bettison from 2009 to 2011. In September 2012 allegations surfaced that Bettison had boasted of a plot to put the blame on fans for the Hillsborough disaster. Andrew Tempest-Mitchell, chairman of West Yorkshire Police Federation, gave his support to Sir Norman. We do not know the exact details of the tragic

events at Hillsborough many years ago but note that Sir Norman Bettison has said he has done no wrong, http://metro.co.uk/2012/09/13/defiant-police-chief-sir-norman-bettisonignores-calls-to-resign-over-hillsborough-revelations-574516/ Mr Burns-Williamson said the members would discuss the matter further in private at the end of the meeting. Speaking outside, the chairman said: We will be talking to him later in private regarding the whole situation in relation to the Hillsborough report. Sir Norman has our confidence to continue on as chief constable and get on with the job and that is the situation as it stands today. Bettison boasted of plot to put blame on fans IPCC slams Sir Norman Bettison Sir Norman Bettison branded a "disgrace" after report slams him over the Hillsborough disaster Defiant police chief Sir Norman Bettison ignores calls to resign over Hillsborough revelations

On 23 October 2012, Bettison resigned with immediate effect as Chief Constable of West Yorkshire Police, after Maria Eagle MP on the floor of the House and thus protected by Parliamentary privilege, accused him of boasting about the Hillsborough cover-up operation involving concocting a story that all the Liverpool fans were drunk and that police were afraid that they were going to break down the gates and so decided to open them. Bettison denied the claim, and more general allegations about his conduct, saying "there is nothing I'm ashamed of". Once Bettison resigned in 2012 Mr Burns-Williamson began a recruitment process for a new chief. Who got the job? No other than Mark Gilmore the former ACC. Selecting Mr Gilmore for the job, West Yorkshire Police Crime Commissioner Mark Burns-Williamson said: Many of us have worked with Mark in the past and know him to be extremely enthusiastic and committed to policing and crime prevention in the county. Nothing like favoritism then? Mr Burns-Williamson also recruited a deputy crime commissioner on a salary of 56,000k. The same lady helped Mr Burns-Williamson during his PCC election campaign and was a member of the same political party as Mr BurnsWilliamson. A row broke out when it emerged the deputy will be chosen from among West Yorkshire Labour members on a salary of between 52,995 and 56,571. Police and Crime Commissioner Mr Burns-Williamsn was critcised for appointing Labour colleague as deputy. He came under fierce criticism for appointing a woman who was involved in his Labour election campaign as his 53,000 a year deputy - after he only approached Labour party colleagues to fill the post. Mark Burns-Williamson, the Police and Crime Commissioner for West Yorkshire, has appointed Isabel Owen, a former Labour parliamentary candidate, despite her having no experience of holding a police constable to account. Ms Owen is married to Paul Nicholson, regional director of Labour in Yorkshire who oversaw last years process where Mr Burns-Williamson was appointed the unopposed Labour candidate.

Now Kirklees Councils Green Party leader Clr Andrew Cooper has launched a petition opposing the plan. Clr Cooper said: The Police and Crime Commissioner elections in November were a non-event with a record low turnout strongly indicating the contempt people had for the establishment of a Commissioner on a salary of 100k/year. Now this very same Commissioner, with little or no electoral mandate, is seeking to appoint a Labour Deputy on up to 56k/year when this was no indicated in any of his election literature. This is money that would be better spent on front line policing than more money. It is a sad example of the Labour Party establishing a post to provide patronage for their members with no accountability. It should be dropped immediately and I urge people to sign this petition to show the strength of local feeling on this waste of public money. Clr Andrew Marchington, who was the Liberal Democrat Candidate for the position of West Yorkshire Police and Crime Commissioner last year, has strongly criticised the current Commissioners plans. Clr Marchington said: At a time when the police, the fire service and local authorities are making cuts I cannot see a justification for appointing a Deputy on an inflated salary. The Commissioner receives a wage of 100K per year and already has a team of staff based in Wakefield. If he feels he needs further support, it would seem appropriate to take a cut in his own salary. The 50K+ would be better used paying for additional policing.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/law-and-order/9996774/Policeand-Crime-Commissioner-critcised-for-appointing-Labour-colleague-asdeputy.html http://www.examiner.co.uk/news/local-west-yorkshirenews/2013/03/17/protests-over-crime-commissioner-deputy-plan-8608132999450/

Mr Burns-Williamson has been with WYPA for the past 14 years during which we saw some of the worst figures ever: West Yorkshire has the 4th highest hate crime figures in the country West Yorkshire has the 4th highest race hate crime figures nationally West Yorkshire has the highest disability hate crime figures in the country West Yorkshire Police is among the top five worst forces in the country for not recording crimes Disability Hate Crime has increased by 488% in West Yorkshire in the last 3 years. In 2011 there were 1514 racial offences recorded by West Yorkshire Police but only 625 were detected In the last two years Officers in West Yorkshire Police missed 5,237 working days due to sickness. Black people are almost 7 times more likely to be stopped and searched under s.23 than white people in West Yorkshire.

West Yorkshire Police is reported to have had 6.3 million GBP invested in failed Icelandic financial institutions

Cases in which West Yorkshire Police integrity has been called into question over the last few years from a number of quarters:
Supergrass given drugs by West Yorkshire Police In 2011 the Supreme Court found that police officers from West Yorkshire Police had taken a murder trial witness to a brothel and allowed him to use

drugs to ensure he co-operated. One of the Supreme Court judges, Lord Brown said a number of officers, including "several of high rank" took part in a "prolonged, persistent and pervasive conspiracy to pervert the course of justice". http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-leeds-14240774

West Yorkshire Police lose copyright case approx 180,000 legal costs In 2011, Justice Arnold said specialist firm Forensic Telecommunications Services (FTS) - which extracts data from mobile phones - had succeeded in abreach of confidence claim against West Yorkshire Police. "I cannot part from this case without expressing my concern that it should have come this far. I fear that the costs will have been out of all proportion to what is at stake. That is regrettable in any litigation, but particularly so where public money is involved." http://nipclaw.blogspot.co.uk/2012/01/copyright-forensictelecommunications.html

Good Samaritan assaulted by Police In 2011 West Yorkshire Police finally apologized for its officers unlawfully assaulting and arresting a good Samaritan. http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-bradford-west-yorkshire-12763323

West Yorkshire Police lose landmark High Court case In 2012, West Yorkshire Police lost a landmark civil case for wrongly charging Leeds United Football Club for policing costs outside the football grounds. Following the court judgment it faces a 1million bill. http://www.guardian.co.uk/football/2012/jul/24/leeds-united-win-policecosts

Former West Yorkshire Police Detectives Child Porn shame

In 2012 a former detective who made 563 indecent images of children has walked free from court. Michael Vause, 59, was working for West Yorkshire Police Forces professional standards department, based at police headquarters, on Laburnum Road, at the time of his arrest. Mr. Vause had also worked in the Anti-Corruption Unit of West Yorkshire Police PSD. http://www.wakefieldexpress.co.uk/news/local/more-wakefield-news/formerwest-yorkshire-police-detective-s-child-porn-shame-1-4712857

West Yorkshire Police accused of racism In 2009 West Yorkshire Police was accused of disproportionately treating its BME police officers. http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/law-andorder/5373958/West-Yorkshire-Police-accused-of-racism.html

Keighley Pc faces racism probe after arresting assault victims dad In 2012 a West Yorkshire Police officer was accused of racism http://www.yorkshirepost.co.uk/news/at-a-glance/main-section/keighley-pcfaces-racism-probe-after-arresting-assault-victim-s-dad-1-4540953

Worker for West Yorkshire Police was racist In 2010 a former employee of West Yorkshire Police was branded a racist by the CPS http://www.yorkshireeveningpost.co.uk/news/latest-news/topstories/worker-for-west-yorkshire-police-was-racist-cps-1-2241192 Complaints against West Yorkshire Police rise 10% Between 2008-09 complaints against West Yorkshire Police rose by 10% http://www.examiner.co.uk/news/local-west-yorkshirenews/2009/09/24/complaints-against-west-yorkshire-police-rise-10-8608124767822/

West Yorkshire Police officer stole 4,000 from raids on brothels In 2012 a police officer from West Yorkshire Police stole 4,000 from brothels http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2150032/West-Yorkshire-PoliceLonely-policeman-stole-4-000-raids-brothels-lap-dancing-clubs-used-workcontact-women.html

Police officer from West Yorkshire Police charged with stealing drugs In 2012 a police officer was charged with stealing drugs to the value of 250,000 from West Yorkshire Police and plotting to sell them. http://dailymirror.newspaperdirect.com/epaper/viewer.aspx