The pinnacle of the police watchdog has been compelled to resign after he turned the topic of a legal investigation, the house secretary stated.
Impartial Workplace for Police Conduct (IOPC) director basic Michael Lockwood stated on Friday he had stepped down from the function for “private and home causes”.
Nonetheless, Suella Braverman stated on Saturday she was compelled to take “instant motion” after being made conscious Mr Lockwood was the topic of a police probe right into a “historic allegation”.
“I’ve accepted Michael Lockwood’s resignation as director basic of the Impartial Workplace for Police Conduct,” she stated.
“I took instant motion upon being made conscious that Mr Lockwood was the topic of a police investigation right into a historic allegation, and instructed my officers to ask him to resign or face instant suspension from his function.
“Residence Workplace employees are working at tempo with the IOPC’s Unitary Board to place in place short-term preparations for the organisation’s management.”
Mr Lockwood was the primary director basic appointed to guide the IOPC when it changed the Impartial Police Complaints Fee in 2018.
He stated in an announcement on Friday: “It’s with nice disappointment that I’ve determined to resign as director basic of the IOPC for private and home causes, and this might be efficient from right now.
“It has been an infinite privilege to function the primary director basic of the IOPC and to have led the organisation for the previous 5 years.
“I’m pleased with the progress now we have made and I’m grateful to all our employees, the Unitary Board and exterior stakeholders for all their help.
“The Unitary Board will now work with the house workplace to place in place new management preparations as shortly as doable.”
Mr Lockwood’s latest assignments included assembly the household of Chris Kaba, who was shot lifeless by armed police in September.
Kaba, an unarmed Black man, was killed on 5 September after a police pursuit of his automotive which resulted in Streatham Hill, south London.
His Audi was hemmed in by two police autos in Kirkstall Gardens, a slim residential avenue, and one spherical was fired from a police weapon.
The Metropolitan police officer who fired the deadly shot has been suspended and the IOPC is investigating.
In August, Mr Lockwood expressed issues about circumstances referred to the police watchdog involving complaints about strip-searches of youngsters by officers.
It got here after two additional incidents involving the strip-search of youngsters by the Met in custody, each 16-year-old boys with out an acceptable grownup current, had been investigated.