Ian Blair, Baron Blair of Boughton

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Ian Blair, Baron Blair of Boughton

Ian Warwick Blair, Baron Blair of Boughton , Kt QPM (born March 19, 1953 in Chester ) is a retired British police officer who held the highest officer rank in the Metropolitan Police Service from 2005 to 2008 . He is also a life peer .

life and career

Early life

Blair was born in Chester in 1953 to Jim and Sheila Blair. He belongs to the Anglican faith. His father spent most of his career at Lever Brothers , eventually managing the dock at Port Sunligh , Merseyside . His mother was from Sheffield and her father was a steel merchant until he suffered heavy losses in the Great Depression . Both Blair and his six year older brother were sent to an independent school at the expense of one of their father's brothers. This was a successful doctor. Blair's brother Sandy left school early to work for a law firm.

Blair attended Wrekin College in Wellington . Blair's father wanted his son to be a doctor - just like Ian's grandfather was. However, Blair rebelled against his father and refused to take a GCE Ordinary Level test in biology , knowing that this would deter him from a possible medical career.

At first he had no intention of going to university as neither his parents nor his brother had attended university. However, a teacher at Wrekin College got him to apply to Christ Church .

Police service

Blair joined the Metropolitan Police in 1974 under the High Potential Developer Scheme for Graduates and had the rank of Constable in Soho , London . Over the next ten years he served as a sergeant and inspector, both in uniform and in the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) in central London. In 1985 Blair was promoted to Detective Chief Inspector in Kentish Town , north London. In 1987 he was responsible for identifying the victims of the King's Cross fire . By 1988 he had reached the rank of superintendent and was leading a project aimed at reorganizing investigations. In 1991 he became a staff member of the HM Inspectorate of Constabulary with the rank of Chief Superintendent .

In 1994 he moved to Thames Valley Police as Assistant Chief Constable and in 1997 became Deputy Chief Constable . In the same year he took over responsibility for overseeing the protests over the construction of the Newbury Bypass . In 1999 he was awarded the Queen's Police Medal and in 2003 he was knighted as a Knight Bachelor in the Queen's Birthday Honors . Blair was previously the Deputy Commissioner of the Metropolitan Police under then Commissioner Sir John Stevens and prior to that Chief Constable of the Surrey Police .

While serving as Deputy Commissioner, he earned a reputation as the "Thinking Man's Policeman." He called for more recruiting of women, people belonging to ethnic minorities and homosexuals. In 2002 he publicly said "Society cannot deny the fact that most thieves are black". In response, the National Black Police Association stated that such comments could deter black recruits.

Controversy

Death of Jean Charles de Menezes

A few months after being appointed Commissioner Sir Ian Blair , Jean Charles de Menezes was shot dead by police officers who believed he was a suicide bomber . In retrospect, Blair called the chairman ( chairman ) of the Independent Police Complaints Commission (IPCC) and wrote a letter to the Home Office stating that the shooting that was taking place in Stockwell would not be forwarded to the IPCC and they are now no access to the crime scene is permitted.

Blair also stated that a warning was issued about the shot. The IPCC conducted an investigation that did not confirm this. On August 2, 2007, the IPCC announced its findings that the allegations against Blair for misleading the public could not be confirmed and instead blamed Assistant Commissioner Andy Hayman for failing to report his suspicion that an innocent man had been killed and made contradicting statements to the press.

After learning that the de Menezes killing was a case of mistaken identity, Blair briefly considered resigning. While investigating the Independent Police Complaints Commission (IPCC), Brian Paddick , the Deputy Assistant Commissioner , said a member of Blair's private office team believed the wrong man was being targeted. This allegation has been countered by New Scotland Yard. On March 28, 2006, Paddick accepted a Metropolitan Police statement that he "should not have testified that a senior officer was misled" and that "any misunderstanding is regretted."

In June 2006, a copy of the Independent Police Complaints Commission's report leaked to the public and sparked further criticism and calls for resignation. On November 1, 2007, a jury found the Metropolitan Police guilty of violating health and safety laws, highlighting 19 "catastrophic mistakes". Blair turned down a vote of no confidence by the London Assembly a week later . He continued to receive support from the Metropolitan Police Authority . Its director said he had never accepted a resignation from Blair.

further controversy

In 2005 and 2006 Blair was involved in Operation Finnean, a £ 280,000 investigation into Kate Moss ' suspected possession and sale of a Class A drug . It has been suggested that the operation was systematically sabotaged by officials seeking to undermine Blair and Ghaffur's authority on the subject of celebrity drug use.

In 2007, Blair was criticized by people at New Scotland Yard for receiving a £ 25,000 bonus during the investigation into de Meneze's death, despite his salary being £ 228,000 and other senior officials facing a pay cut.

At the end of 2005 there were government plans that terror suspects could be detained for up to 90 days. When Blair and other senior police officers campaigned for the government's plans to be implemented, they were charged with the allegation that the police were "politicized".

After a failed house search in Forest Gate in 2006, there were renewed calls for Blair to resign. Prime Minister Tony Blair then expressed his support. In an interview with BBC Radio 4 , Blair said that Islamist terrorism is "a far greater threat to civilians than the Cold War or World War II ."

In May 2008, the press reported that Blair's contract as commissioner of the Metropolitan Police Service will not be renewed after it expires in 2010. On October 2, 2008, Blair announced his resignation on December 1, 2008. He said he would not be able to continue his work without the support of London Mayor Boris Johnson .

Membership in the House of Lords

Blair was named a Life Peer as Baron Blair of Boughton , of Boughton in the County of Cheshire on July 20, 2010 . He is a crossbencher in the House of Lords . It was officially launched on July 26, 2010 with the assistance of Douglas Hurd and Angela Harris, Baroness Harris of Richmond .

He is irregularly present on meeting days.

Titles and ranks

  • PC Ian Blair (various ranks) (1974–1985)
  • DCI Ian Blair (1985-1988)
  • Supt. Ian Blair (1988–1991)
  • Ch. Supt. Ian Blair (1991–1994)
  • Asst. Ch. Const. Ian Blair (1994-1997)
  • Dep. Ch. Const. Ian Blair (1997-1998)
  • Chief Constable Ian Blair (1998-1999)
  • Chief Constable Ian Blair QPM (1999-2000)
  • Dep. Comm. Ian Blair QPM (2000-2003)
  • Dep. Comm. Sir Ian Blair QPM (2003-2005)
  • Commissioner Sir Ian Blair QPM (2005-2008)
  • Sir Ian Blair QPM (2008-2010)
  • Ian Blair, Baron Blair of Boughton Kt QPM (since 2010)

The various ranks Blair held between 1974 and 1985 are Police Constable, Police Sergeant and Inspector. Although briefly mentioned in his autobiography Policing Controversy , no document is known at the time that indicates when his appointment or promotion took place. A picture in the book shows him as a uniformed sergeant in 1977.

bibliography

Web links

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ a b Blair, p. 51.
  2. ↑ Lord Blair says religion is regarded as 'irrelevant, old-fashioned and violent' Telegraph article of November 16, 2010.
  3. ↑ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o Sir Ian Blair QPM, MA, Commissioner of Police of the Metropolis ( Memento of April 18, 2008 in the Internet Archive ) Entry at the Metropolitan Police , accessed on 11. September 2012.
  4. ↑ Next Met police chief announced on: BBC News. October 28, 2004.
  5. ↑ Anti-terror chief 'misled' public at: BBC News. August 2, 2007.
  6. ↑ a b Menezes claim sparks libel talks. at: BBC News. March 17, 2006.
  7. ↑ Police head 'considered quitting' at: BBC News. September 22, 2005.
  8. ↑ Met Police 'regret' Menezes claim at: BBC News. March 28, 2006.
  9. ^ Met police chief under pressure at: BBC News. June 12, 2006.
  10. ↑ De Menezes shooting: Police guilty of 'catastrophic errors' at: BBC News. November 2, 2007.
  11. ↑ Fred Vermorel: Addicted to Love: the Kate Moss Story. 2nd Edition. Omnibus Press, 2007, ISBN 978-1-84609-755-3 , pp. 198-206.
  12. ↑ The 15 fatal failures that could sink Blair Guardian Article , Nov. 4, 2007.
  13. ↑ 'Political police' prompts questions at: BBC News. November 11, 2005.
  14. ^ Met chief defended amid raid row at: BBC News. June 12, 2006.
  15. ^ Met police chief Sir Ian Blair 'on way out' article in Telegraph May 18, 2008.
  16. ↑ Britain's top policeman resigns at: BBC News. October 2, 2008.
  17. ↑ Sir Ian Blair resigns as Met police commissioner Guardian article of October 2, 2008.
  18. ↑ July 26, 2010: Column 1137 Minutes of the House of Lords meeting of July 26, 2010.
  19. ↑ House of Lords: Members 'expenses Members' expenses on the House of Lords website , accessed July 16, 2012.
personal data
SURNAME Blair, Ian, Baron Blair of Boughton
ALTERNATIVE NAMES Blair, Ian Warwick, Baron Blair of Boughton (full name)
BRIEF DESCRIPTION British Police Officer and Life Peer
DATE OF BIRTH March 19, 1953
PLACE OF BIRTH Chester