Criminology Expert Joins Police Authority
Posted on 26th April 2010
An internationally acclaimed policing expert has joined Nottinghamshire Police Authority as an Independent Member.
The recently retired Head of the School of Law at Sheffield University, Professor Simon Holdaway, is a world renowned Professor of Criminology and Sociology. He brings a wealth of experience to the Authority's ranks having worked with numerous Constabularies, the Home Office, the Association of Chief Police Officers and police officers from forces across the world. In addition, he was recently advisor to a parliamentary group concerned with the role of police authorities.
He also has first hand experience of policing, having served as a Police Officer in the Metropolitan Police for 11 years before becoming an academic.
Professor Holdaway said that both the Police Authority and the Force are facing massive challenges and he intends to bring all his skills and knowledge to bear on his work as a member of the Authority. He added: "Having taken early retirement it's good to be working locally and putting my energy into promoting change to help Nottinghamshire residents benefit from an enhanced police service."
Chair of the Police Authority, John Clarke, welcomed Professor Holdaway to the Police Authority and said: "Simon's experience will be invaluable as we drive the change agenda necessary to secure improvements in policing. We are very lucky to have attracted someone whose skills match our needs so very well."
The Professor, who lives in Lound, North Nottinghamshire, has been appointed as an Independent Member for a period of four years, starting 1st April 2010.
His research findings regarding policing, especially the police occupational culture and police race relations, have been widely published. His book 'Inside the British Police: A Force at Work', was based on undercover research and is acknowledged as a classic. Other work covers the recruitment of ethnic minorities into the police; the resignation of ethnic minority officers; crime and deviance; and Black Police Associations.
Professor Holdaway wrote the evidence to the MacPherson Inquiry into the police investigation of the murder of Stephen Lawrence on behalf of as the Commission for Racial Equality and was also a consultant on policing to the Commission on the Future of Multi-Ethnic Britain.