Chief constable and his deputy suspended in corruption probe

Cleveland Chief Constable Sean Price was arrested yesterday and taken to a police station in North Yorkshire as part of a criminal investigation into activities relating to his force’s governing authority.

Also detained were Mr Price’s deputy Derek Bonnard, who joined the force after 17 years at West Yorkshire Police, and an unnamed woman who is understood to have held a senior civilian role with Cleveland Police.

All three are suspected of misconduct in a public office, which carries a maximum sentence of life imprisonment, as well as fraud by abuse of position and corrupt practice.

The arrests are a dramatic development in an investigation into alleged wrongdoing by people with current or past associations with Cleveland Police Authority.

Det Chief Supt Richard Mann, of North Yorkshire Police’s crime directorate is leading a team of officers on the inquiry under the instruction of Warwickshire Chief Constable Keith Bristow.

The probe into the police authority was ordered in May by the police watchdog, HM Inspectorate of Constabulary, after allegations were made against members.

Within days, the authority’s chairman Dave McLuckie stepped down and admitted he was being investigated. He denies any wrongdoing.

Yesterday’s actions bring the total number of suspects arrested to four. A 44-year-old man, who is not believed to be Coun McLuckie, is due to answer police bail in November.

All three police forces involved in the inquiry have refused to disclose the nature of the allegations.

A Warwickshire Police spokesman said: “Two men and a woman were arrested and have been taken to a police station in North Yorkshire...A number of premises are being searched in connection with these arrests.”

Cleveland Police, North Yorkshire Police and the Home Office all refused to comment on the arrests.

The police authority suspended Mr Price and Mr Bonnard last night and referred the case to the Independent Police Complaints Commission (IPCC).

The authority said: “It should be emphasised that suspension is a neutral act and it should not be inferred from the decision to suspend that the potential conduct matters have been proven in respect to the two chief officers concerned.”

Mr Price’s detention is believed to be the first arrest of a serving UK chief constable since 1957 and could further damage the police service’s reputation following the recent resignations of two senior Metropolitan Police officers over the News of the World phone-hacking scandal.

It also comes two months after North Yorkshire Chief Constable Grahame Maxwell admitted gross misconduct and was given a final written warning for helping a relative jump the queue during an officer recruitment exercise.

Mr Price is the subject of a separate IPCC inquiry into an allegation that he used “undue influence” to appoint a junior civilian staff member to the Cleveland force in 2008.

Speaking after the IPCC probe was announced in May, Mr Price described the claim as “malicious” and warned that anyone “initiating and spreading incorrect information” about him could be sued for defamation.

He added the allegation was “mischievous in seeking to cause comparison with recent events in other forces” – a veiled reference to Mr Maxwell’s case.

Police authority accounts show Mr Price received a total pay package worth more than £208,000 in 2009-10, with an extra £30,420 in pension contributions.

His basic salary was £130,093, but he was given a £20,000 bonus and received other payments totalling £54,421, some of which is understood to have been paid as a “retention package” to prevent his being poached by another force.

Before joining Cleveland Police, Mr Bonnard commanded West Yorkshire Police’s operational support division with responsibility for policing major events.

He also led a basic command unit in Bradford after serving in a range of uniformed roles in the city and in Leeds.