The revelations that the Chief Constable of Northamptonshire Police Ivan Balhatchet has been found in contempt of court, mean just one outcome is acceptable – his resignation.
This latest chief constable, up to no good, finding comes on top of the last chief constable, Nick Adderley, who was found to be liar and cheat with regards to his CV and is currently facing fraud charges.
So who knew what, when?
After the Nick Adderley affair the newly elected Police Fire and Crime Commissioner, Labour’s Danielle Stone stated, in this interview that, it would not happen again. She promised to personally go through the application forms of the next candidate for Chief Constable.
This appointment is hers alone, or was that just spin?
So what has gone wrong here?
Did Danielle do as she promised and improve the vetting?
Did she know about this court case? If she did then what was the reason for making the appointment, if she did not, then clearly no improvements to the vetting have been made.
It is clear to me that Balhachet must go. Danielle Stone promised that she wanted a Chief Constable that had “competence and integrity” anyone with any shred of integrity would resign.
The position of the PFCC looks precarious, she has a chance now to suspend or sack him and show real leadership and prove in actions that her requirement for competence and integrity was a real one.
I will await the outcome.
update – 13 Nov – 11.15
According to the Daily Telegraph Labour are to scrap the Police and Crime Commissioner post from 2028. Is this because of the low quality of the incumbents?
Developing . . . . . .