Man who led policing of Bradford EDL demo is new West Yorkshire Chief Constable

7:00am Saturday 2nd February 2013 in News By Steve Wright, Crime Reporter

New chief constable Mark Gilmore New chief constable Mark Gilmore

A senior officer who helped to organise the successful policing of the English Defence League demonstration in Bradford has been appointed to replace Chief Constable Sir Norman Bettison.

The appointment of Mark Gilmore, a former Assistant Chief Constable with the West Yorkshire force, is expected to be ratified by the Police and Crime Panel next week.

Mr Gilmore’s appointment to the top officer’s role was announced yesterday by West Yorkshire Police and Crime Commissioner Mark Burns-Williamson.

Mr Gilmore was ACC (Specialist Operations) for two years, during which he worked on the major operation to police the EDL demonstration in Bradford, before he was appointed Deputy Chief Constable of Northumbria Police 18 months ago.

The Chief Constable’s post had been vacant since October when under-fire Bettison resigned in the light of allegations relating to his behaviour following the Hillsborough disaster in 1989, in which 96 Liverpool fans lost their lives.

Deputy Chief Constable John Parkinson stepped in as acting Chief Constable and is understood to have been one of five candidates interviewed for the job.

Mr Burns-Williamson said the appointment of Mr Gilmore was a new dawn for policing in West Yorkshire, and people could share his high personal confidence in his abilities.

He added: “This is the start of new era which will build on past success.

“Mark Gilmore is someone I’ve known for a long time, and as Assistant Chief Constable he was at the heart of operations in Bradford and has a very good knowledge of policing issues in the city.”

Mr Burns-Williamson said selecting the right person for the job had been a crucial and difficult task.

“The standard of all candidates was excellent. But Mark Gilmore is a strong character who will take a very good lead on all matters.

“He is well-known and respected within the service and will make an excellent and exceptional new Chief Constable for West Yorkshire.”

Mr Burns-Williamson said he was aware that, nationally, all aspects of policing were in the spotlight.

“The public needs to have trust and confidence in the police and I do recognise that the service as a whole has been put under scrutiny.”

Mr Gilmore said: “It will be an honour to work alongside the Commissioner and Command team to deliver our shared vision for policing."

Comments(9)

collos25 says...
9:45am Sat 2 Feb 13

Mr Gilmore said: “It will be an honour to work alongside the Commissioner and Command team to deliver our shared vision for policing."

Summed up in one sentence another politically correct none person.

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Albion. says...
11:38am Sat 2 Feb 13

I wonder what people's opinions will be after he has had a few years of underfunding, under staffing and yet more revelations of police wrongdoing and corruption?

“The public needs to have trust and confidence in the police and I do recognise that the service as a whole has been put under scrutiny.”

It'll take much more than this appointment to restore that! Good luck all the same.

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The Hoffster says...
12:28pm Sat 2 Feb 13

Those who wish this guy wasn't named the Chief Constable:

If the EDL animals hadn't come to the city, maybe he wouldn't have been appointed in the first place?

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Not so simple says...
4:45pm Sat 2 Feb 13

So long as the new governor reminds his staff, who incidentally are our servants to maintain the peace and security of citizens: remind your constables to enforce the law of the land...common law.

Remind your staff to be courteous at all times.
Remind your staff that you are peace officers.
Remind your staff that the people and the will of the people(jury) are the bosses of the police and the courts and the parliamentarians.


Remember these officers swear an oath...
Judges and courts swear a similar oath...
Even The HRH Queen swears an oath

Put it simply the oath is to protect us under common law, the real law of the land. Not to pester and annoy us going about doing our business.

Where's "obvious" gone? As he would have had a right field day on common law and how it should be applied!

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Victor Clayton says...
4:58pm Sat 2 Feb 13

Neither the police or politicians give a monkeys about Bradford.

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RollandSmoke says...
5:13pm Sat 2 Feb 13

As we are faced with diminishing numbers of police they have two options as to how they can maintain control. Either laws are changed to free up time to deal with bigger priorities or we will see an increase in police aggression with tasers being used as a matter of course when an arrest is made. I know which I believe to be the most logical course of action but it won't be the road that the police will end up travelling. They have already lost the respect of many of the public, the ball is in their court as to where we go from here.

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Victor Clayton says...
5:55pm Sat 2 Feb 13

RollandSmoke wrote:
As we are faced with diminishing numbers of police they have two options as to how they can maintain control. Either laws are changed to free up time to deal with bigger priorities or we will see an increase in police aggression with tasers being used as a matter of course when an arrest is made. I know which I believe to be the most logical course of action but it won't be the road that the police will end up travelling. They have already lost the respect of many of the public, the ball is in their court as to where we go from here.
Or 3, they turn a blind eye.

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Not so simple says...
5:58pm Sat 2 Feb 13

RollandSmoke wrote:
As we are faced with diminishing numbers of police they have two options as to how they can maintain control. Either laws are changed to free up time to deal with bigger priorities or we will see an increase in police aggression with tasers being used as a matter of course when an arrest is made. I know which I believe to be the most logical course of action but it won't be the road that the police will end up travelling. They have already lost the respect of many of the public, the ball is in their court as to where we go from here.
It's simple really. They, the police should apply common law.

That is the law of the land.

As you like to roll and smoke it, the common law would be very favourable to those who self medicate.

Read up on it...before you get busted lol

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johnhem says...
7:15pm Sun 3 Feb 13

if this is the cop in charge when the edl had their "march" (actually a static demo NOT a march) then he will be aware we know what a lousy job he did. he will be aware of the video taken on manor row/hammestrasse showing exactly who it was running wild, frightening kids and drivers, i step short of an actual riot. a clue, it was not edl members.
i am not an edl supporter, but i have seen the video, therefore if this guy was in charge then.... he is not fit to be in charge now.

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