I was not a Darth Vader bully insists police chief
ONE of Britain’s most senior police officers has stressed his force was with him after a hearing was told staff branded him “Darth Vader”.
Simon Byrne – suspended as Cheshire Chief Constable last year – is accused of being “volatile” and a “bully”.
It is claimed he “displayed a short temper and engaged in angry outbursts and aggressive attacks upon subordinate staff”.
Former Metropolitan Police officer Mr Byrne denies any wrongdoing.
He was asked by John Beggs QC, for Cheshire’s Police and Crime Commissioner, why he used a slide about Darth Vader in a Powerpoint presentation. Mr Byrne said he knew he had the Star Wars villain’s nickname. He said: “I tried to be open and acknowledge it, and confront it.”
Mr Beggs said: “People describe you as being very angry.” Mr Byrne replied: “I don’t recognise that.”
The misconduct hearing had been told of a number of incidents involving Mr Byrne’s alleged misbehaviour. In one he gave officers photos of Dad’s Army characters after he said the force’s response to an incident was poor.
He said: “This was about a number of issues where I felt we let the public down.” He told the panel that “it was never my intention to cause people upset”.
The hearing will reconvene in September.