Steve Turner (police commissioner) explained

Steve Turner
Office:Cleveland Police and Crime Commissioner
Term Start:13 May 2021
Term End:8 May 2024
Predecessor:Lisa Oldroyd (acting)
Successor:Matt Storey
Birthname:Stephen Mark Turner
Party:Conservative
Spouse:Andrea Turner
Otherparty:UKIP (before 2017)

Stephen Mark Turner (born October 1971[1]) a British Conservative Party politician who served as the Cleveland Police and Crime Commissioner from 2021 to 2024. He was elected on 13 May 2021, for the Conservative Party. He was replaced by Matthew Stephen Storey in May 2024.[2]

Background

Prior to being elected as PCC for Cleveland, Steve Turner was the chief of staff for two MPs.[3] He earlier worked for Safeway as a manager, but resigned in the early 1990s after accepting a police caution for handling stolen goods.[4] [5] Turner was elected as a UKIP Councillor for the Longbeck Ward of Redcar and Cleveland Borough Council on 7 May 2015 after receiving 19.8% of the vote.[6] [7] He defected to the Conservative Party in 2017.[8]

Police and crime commissioner

In May 2021, Turner stood as the Conservative Party candidate in the Cleveland PCC election and was elected after winning 54% of votes in the first round. Turner assumed the role on 13 May, replacing the acting PCC, Lisa Oldroyd.

In September 2021, Labour MP Andy McDonald named Turner in parliament using Parliamentary privilege alleging Turner was sacked from a previous employer for "systematic theft".[9] Turner later admitted that he received a police caution in the 1990s for handling £15 of stolen goods, and voluntarily resigned from his position of store manager at Safeway in Norton.[10]

In November 2021, it was reported that Turner was being investigated over a historical sexual assault claim.[11] [12] The investigation was being managed by the Independent Office for Police Conduct and conducted by a force external to Cleveland Police.[13] Turner rejected calls to resign over the claim, and was not suspended from the Conservative Party despite calls from the Labour Shadow Home Secretary Nick Thomas-Symonds.[14] In May 2022 the investigation was discontinued with no action taken against him.[15]

In May 2023, Turner stood for election as a councillor on Redcar and Cleveland Borough Council alongside his PCC role.[16] Turner finished 5th out of 6 candidates with 12% of the vote.[17] His wife also failed to be elected.[18]

At the same election, it was revealed by Sky News, that he had used his position as Police & Crime Commissioner to investigate at least two opposition Labour candidates, and one unnamed extra.[19] Liberal Democrat Home Affairs Spokesperson Alistair Carmichael has called on Turner to resign, or for Prime Minister Rishi Sunak to suspend Turner's membership.[20]

Personal life

Turner is married to former Redcar and Cleveland Borough Councillor Andrea Turner[21] and has three adult sons. He is also a grandfather.[3]

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Stephen Mark TURNER personal appointments - Find and update company information - GOV.UK. 2021-11-10. find-and-update.company-information.service.gov.uk. en. 10 November 2021. https://web.archive.org/web/20211110122440/https://find-and-update.company-information.service.gov.uk/officers/c0_8oqo39xQE_YJHnowuj8IoalY/appointments. live.
  2. Web site: About your commissioner . 2021-11-04 . . en-GB . 4 November 2021 . https://web.archive.org/web/20211104121745/https://www.cleveland.pcc.police.uk/commissioner/about/steve-turner-pcc/ . live .
  3. Web site: Steve Turner . 2021-11-04 . www.apccs.police.uk . 6 November 2021 . https://web.archive.org/web/20211106193447/https://www.apccs.police.uk/find-your-pcc/steve-turner/ . live .
  4. News: 2021-10-02 . Cleveland police chief Steve Turner referred to watchdog . en-GB . BBC . 2021-11-04 . 6 November 2021 . https://web.archive.org/web/20211106123239/https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-england-tees-58773006 . live .
  5. News: Cleveland PCC Steve Turner reveals what previous police caution was for . Stuart . Arnold . 11 November 2021 . . Darlington . en-GB . 2021-11-12 . 23 November 2021 . https://web.archive.org/web/20211123150849/https://www.thenorthernecho.co.uk/news/19711846.cleveland-pcc-steve-turner-accepts-handling-stolen-goods/ . live .
  6. Web site: Local Elections Archive Project — Longbeck Ward . 23 December 2021 . 23 December 2021 . https://web.archive.org/web/20211223084816/https://www.andrewteale.me.uk/leap/ward/1670/ . live .
  7. Web site: UKIP chairman defects to Conservatives weeks before election . Nick . Gullon . 24 April 2017 . . Darlington . en-GB . 23 December 2021 . 23 December 2021 . https://web.archive.org/web/20211223084255/https://www.thenorthernecho.co.uk/news/15243193.ukips-first-redcar-cleveland-councillor-defects-conservatives-weeks-election/ . live .
  8. News: 7 May 2021 . Cleveland PCC 2021: Conservative Steve Turner wins with more than 74,000 votes . . en-GB . 2021-12-17 . 10 November 2021 . https://web.archive.org/web/20211110151929/https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-england-tees-57025566 . live .
  9. News: Cleveland police and crime chief Steve Turner admits accepting caution . 22 September 2021 . . en-GB . 2021-11-04 . 11 November 2021 . https://web.archive.org/web/20211111210321/https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-england-tees-58637507 . live .
  10. Web site: Cleveland PCC admits he received a police caution while working at a supermarket . 21 September 2021 . . en-GB . 2021-11-04 . 20 December 2021 . https://web.archive.org/web/20211220121925/https://www.itv.com/news/tyne-tees/2021-09-21/cleveland-pcc-admits-he-received-a-police-caution-while-working-at-a-supermarket . live .
  11. News: Cleveland police and crime chief Steve Turner faces 'sexual assault claim' . 4 November 2021 . . en-GB . 2021-11-10 . 19 November 2021 . https://web.archive.org/web/20211119222628/https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-england-tees-59161004 . live .
  12. News: Tory police boss Steve Turner faces investigation over serious sexual assault allegation . Wearmouth . Rachel . 4 November 2021 . . London . en-GB . 2021-11-10 . 3 December 2021 . https://web.archive.org/web/20211203105538/https://www.mirror.co.uk/news/politics/tory-police-boss-steve-turner-25373828 . live .
  13. Web site: Steve Turner: Police boss refuses to quit in explosive 600-word statement aimed at enemies . Graeme . Hetherington . 9 November 2021 . . Darlington . en-GB . 2021-11-10 . 30 November 2021 . https://web.archive.org/web/20211130210705/https://www.thenorthernecho.co.uk/news/19705691.steve-turner-police-boss-refuses-quit-explosive-600-word-statement-aimed-enemies/ . live .
  14. News: Cleveland PCC Steve Turner will not resign over sex assault claim . 2021-11-09 . . en-GB . 2021-11-10 . 10 November 2021 . https://web.archive.org/web/20211110131545/https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-england-tees-59228048 . live .
  15. Web site: Investigation into alleged conduct of PCC Steve Turner discontinued . 23 May 2022 .
  16. Web site: Arnold . Stuart . 2023-04-16 . Steve Turner hits back at 'playing councillor' jibe and PCC role . 2023-05-10 . TeessideLive . en.
  17. Web site: 2023 Election Results Redcar and Cleveland . 2023-05-10 . www.redcar-cleveland.gov.uk . en.
  18. Web site: 2023-05-09 . Police and crime commissioner and his wife miss out in council election vote . 2023-05-17 . The Independent . en.
  19. Web site: Tory crime commissioner triggered two police investigations into political opponents during local elections bid . 2023-05-13 . Sky News . en.
  20. Web site: https://twitter.com/samcoatessky/status/1657318283454869508 . 2023-05-13 . Twitter . en.
  21. Web site: Arnold. Stuart. 2021-11-10. Steve Turner says 'damaging' sex allegation was leaked for political gain. 2022-02-22. TeessideLive. en.

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