THE former deputy chief constable of West Yorkshire Police faced fresh criticism over an email he wrote about the Hillsborough disaster.
David Crompton, who is now chief constable in South Yorkshire Police after being appointed last year, has been forced to apologise over the email, which sparked anger among victim’s families.
In the email, Mr Crompton stated: “The Hillsborough Campaign for Justice’s version of certain events has become the truth – even though it isn’t.”
His conduct was reported to the police watchdog, the Independent Police Complaints Commission (IPCC), on Friday and yesterday it said it was worried about the “attitude displayed”. IPCC commissioner Nicholas Long said the email to Assistant Chief Constable Andy Holt and chief Press officer Mark Thompson was “at best ill-judged and at worst offensive and upsetting”. Mr Crompton wrote the email as part of plans to react to the report of the Hillsborough Independent Panel last September, and spoke of his fears the force could become “roadkill”.
South Yorkshire Police is the focus of a wide-ranging probe into its conduct over the tragedy, also being conducted by the IPCC, and new inquests are to be held into the deaths of the 96 victims.
Clive Betts, who led Sheffield Council at the time of the disaster and is now MP for Sheffield South-East, said Mr Crompton should now “cut back on the comments” about the ongoing investigation.
He added: “He should not have made the comments in the first place. He must now make sure that he and all the staff at South Yorkshire Police co-operate fully with inquiries, does not try to second guess what is going to happen and stick to providing the evidence.”