Fire chief under investigation, brigade confirms

Peter Rickard was appointed chief fire officer for Cleveland last year

An investigation has been launched into a fire brigade's leading officer after a complaint was made against him.

Chief fire officer Peter Rickard has held the position at Cleveland Fire Brigade since last year, when he took over following the retirement of its previous boss.

Information around the nature of the complaint has not been confirmed with brigade managers saying it would be "inappropriate to comment on specific details at this stage".

A spokesperson said the process was "being managed entirely by the appointed external party" in order to ensure impartiality and fairness.

Prior to taking up the role with Cleveland, Mr Rickard was assistant chief fire officer at West Sussex Fire and Rescue Service.

He started his career at London Fire Brigade in 2001 and became deputy assistant commissioner as the head of operational risk and strategic planning at the organisation in 2019.

A Cleveland Fire Authority meeting in June 2024 saw councillors unanimously back appointing him chief fire officer following a "robust and competitive selection process", the Local Democracy Reporting Service said.

Fire authority officers said at the time that Mr Rickard had "the necessary professional qualifications for the role, complemented by appropriate experience at a senior level within the fire and rescue service".