Force faces 286 corruption claims 'Zero tolerance' officer Ray Mallon is being investigated A total of 286 complaints are being investigated in a corruption probe against Cleveland Police. Some 39 officers are under suspicion as part of the Operation Lancet probe, which began nearly a year ago.  |
| Suspects have alleged "ritualistic" violence against them |
Eight officers have been suspended, including the former head of Middlesbrough CID. Detective Superintendent Ray Mallon, gained prominence as the architect of 'zero tolerance' policing policy on Teesside.
The Police Complaints Authority's investigation includes allegations of serious assault and intimidation. These involve "almost ritualistic" violence against suspects to extract confessions, as well as minor procedural irregularities. The inquiry began after a case collapsed at Teesside Crown Court last October when a defendant claimed that officers tried to bribe him with drugs. There are 43 allegations concerning drugs in the investigation and the PCA has received 11 of these. A remaining 32 are expected over the next few weeks. 'Hanging out to dry' In May this year, former president of the Police Superintendents' Association, Brian Mackenzie urged the PCA to conclude the inquiry as soon as possible. He said Operation Lancet had lost its way. He said: "What shouldn't be happening, is that people like Ray Mallon, who are caught up in the original inquiry should be left hanging out to dry while the last minor inquiry is finalised." Supt Mallon, feted by politicians for his tough approach to crime, has strenuously denied any wrongdoing. Although the allegations are apparently not related to 'zero tolerance' it is with this policy Supt Mallon will remain linked in many people's minds. 'Robocop' style When he was appointed in November 1996, he promised to quit if crime in the area had not gone down by 20% in 18 months. His tough-cop style earned him the nickname 'Robocop'. Reductions in crimes against property in Middlesbrough increased national interest in zero tolerance. Murder reduction But Supt Mallon received adverse publicity when he had to suspend two CID officers who allegedly gave a suspect heroin in return for confessions. Zero tolerance, or 'positive policing' as many prefer to call it, originated in New York. A large drop in the city's murder rate was attributed to the strategy. It attempts to tackle law-breaking from the bottom up by treating petty crime as seriously as other offences. This philosophy behind it is known as the 'broken windows' theory because its proponents argue even 
No comments:
Post a Comment