Plan to appoint temporary police chief unlawful

Commissioner Ben Adams recruited a temporary boss for Staffordshire Police after the chief constable's suspension

The High Court has ruled Staffordshire Police and Fire Commissioner's decision to recruit a temporary chief constable was unlawful.

Staffordshire's chief constable, Chris Noble, is currently suspended while an Independent Office for Police Conduct investigation is carried out.

Following the court decision, Staffordshire Commisioner Ben Adams said he sought and followed advice from national policing bodies and would be asking the Home Secretary to consider revising the law.

Acting Chief Constable Rebecca Riggs would continue to lead the force, said Mr Adams, as it faced a busy six months, including an inspection.

The High Court judgement was about a technical legal point on the difference between "acting" and "temporary" arrangements when a Chief Constable was not able to perform their duties, the commissioner said.

In it, the judge accepted Adams had sought advice from relevant bodies including the Home Office, but the advice that he could carry out the process was wrong in law.

The ruling brought "welcome clarity", the commissioner said, but the public still expected him to account for the effectiveness of local policing, including appointing the officer leading the force.

As a result, he said, he would be asking the home secretary to consider changing the law.