Anyone wanting a master-class in good policing should watch the video of Chris Eyre, Acting Chief Constable of Leicestershire Police, apologising for his force’s inaction over the Pilkington case.
He accepts responsibility for failings, apologises to the family, the community, and details how his force has taken steps to improve. Also note the courage his force has shown in the face of public anger by protecting those who bullied the Pilkington family. It is clear he is an honourable man who places his sworn duty to serve the law above the service of his career, public opinion or the state.
Contrast this with the response of the former Chief Constable Matt Baggott who left to head the PSNI, leaving Mr Eyre behind to face the music. Mr Baggott has refused to apologise for his role in the deaths.
A skilled political operator, Mr Baggott was intertwined with the politico-police nexus through his involvement with the National Policing Board and as Vice President of ACPO Ltd.
As an advocate of the move towards performance metrics within the police and eager to please his political masters, it will be interesting to see (if the IPCC enquiry touches it) how the crimes involved in the Pilkington’s case were recorded. Was there a policy of disaggregating ‘antisocial behaviour’ crimes from official statistics or not assigning crime reference numbers? Were central government police targets on crime chased instead of crime itself. Were the figures massaged for the furtherance of Mr Baggott’s career?
Perhaps Leicestershire police will shaft him back and spill the beans.
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