A High Court judge has delivered a significant blow to Staffordshire's Police, Fire and Crime Commissioner after ruling his decision to recruit a temporary chief constable was unlawful.
Legal challenge over suspended chief
The case centres around Chief Constable Chris Noble, who was suspended from his role on 1 August 2025 following serious concerns about his behaviour outside work. Mr Noble, who denies any wrongdoing, is currently under investigation by the Independent Office for Police Conduct for matters that occurred before he joined Staffordshire Police.
Instead of asking Deputy Chief Constable Rebecca Riggs to step into the role temporarily, Commissioner Ben Adams chose to initiate a full recruitment process for a temporary replacement. This decision would ultimately lead to a legal challenge in the High Court.
Court proceedings and judgement
The Chief Police Officers' Staff Association questioned the proposed appointment between August and September 2025, arguing that the commissioner should have followed established statutory processes. Lawyers for CPOSA contended during an October hearing in Birmingham that there can only be one chief constable, and even appointing someone temporarily to perform those functions would circumvent proper procedures.
In her ruling delivered on Wednesday, Mrs Justice Jefford found in favour of the claimant, stating that the commissioner's decision to recruit and potentially appoint a temporary chief constable was unlawful under existing legislation.
The judge acknowledged that Commissioner Adams had sought advice from appropriate bodies and received consistent guidance that he could appoint a temporary chief constable. However, she emphasised that "evidence that there was a common understanding of what could be done and even a related practice cannot change the position in law."
Implications for police governance
This ruling establishes important legal precedent regarding police appointment procedures. Mrs Justice Jefford clarified that "the appointment of someone to perform the functions of the chief constable must be subject to the provisions of the act for the appointment of a chief constable."
The commissioner had argued that he faced extraordinary circumstances and was attempting to exercise his power to secure an effective and efficient police force. His legal representatives told the court he had consulted stakeholders and planned to present his preferred candidate to the Police, Fire and Crime Panel for scrutiny.
Despite these efforts, the court found the proposed approach fundamentally conflicted with the statutory framework governing police appointments. The judgement leaves Staffordshire Police without a permanent chief constable while the force awaits the outcome of both the IOPC investigation and any potential appeal against this ruling.
