Today’s breaking news that Chief Constable Veale’s has resigned from Cleveland Police is extraordinary and unacceptable. I have been the MP for Middlesbrough South and East Cleveland for 18 months and we’re about to move on to my third Chief Constable in that time.
There are only so many of these incidents the hard-working officers and staff of the Force should have to put up with, let alone the public they serve. I had hoped that Chief Constable Veale would be able to deliver a much-needed change of culture at Cleveland Police, and did my utmost to engage constructively during his time in charge. Today those hopes have been dashed.
We will need to see the full details of the allegations, but I think we now need a root-and-branch review of the future of policing in Cleveland, with all options on the table. These should include whether our area would be better served were the Cleveland force to be merged with neighbouring forces Durham and/or North Yorkshire.