Richard Brunstrom
Encyclopedia
Richard Brunstrom was the Chief Constable
of North Wales Police
, a position he held from January 2001 to July 2009.
. Brunstrom graduated in Zoology
from the University of Wales, Bangor. He got two years into a Zoology PhD
but joined the police.
. After 11 years, in 1990 he moved to Greater Manchester Police
as a Superintendent serving initially in Old Trafford
, regularly commanded the policing of Manchester United and Manchester City home football games. He then became a Divisional Commander at Bury
. Brunstrom was appointed Assistant Chief Constable in the Cleveland Police
in September 1995, subsequently promoted to Deputy Chief Constable.
program Top Gear.
Brunstrom has called for the decriminalisation of all drugs – including heroin and cocaine
– and has urged the Government to declare an end to the "failed" war on illegal narcotics.
Brunstrom has been praised for his action against anti-social behaviour and his learning and promotion of the Welsh language
, and being the first Chief Constable to have his own blog
. Previously he was ACPO's head of road policing policy, head of the UK’s National Wildlife Crime Unit
, and police co-ordinator on drugs policy across Wales.
In September 2007, as a demonstration of support for Taser
s being trialled in rural areas of North Wales, Brunstrom volunteered to be tasered by his fellow officers. Video footage of the event was posted on the force's website; Brunstrom was tasered for 1.5 seconds, and swore as he lost control of his body. Afterwards he described the event as "Not pleasant" and warned "I very strongly advise you, if faced by an officer and a Taser, that you follow the instructions of the nice police officer, because you will not enjoy the consequences of disobedience.".
During refurbishment work at North Wales Police headquarters in December 2007 Brunstrom staged a break-in, scaling scaffolding attached to the building and climbing through a window. It was initially claimed that this was a stunt to expose lax security., but a Freedom of Information request subsequently revealed that this was a fabrication; the real reason for the 'break-in' was that Brunstrom's entry fob no longer worked.
On Tuesday 10 February 2009, Brunstrom appeared as a co-presenter on the Jeremy Vine
Show on BBC Radio 2
.
Brunstrom has been praised for his learning and promotion of the Welsh language
, in which he holds an A level. This has led to his being created an honorary Druid
by the Gorsedd of Bards list at the 2006 National Eisteddfod, and in April 2007 he made a speech to Welsh communities pressure group Cymuned
in which he urged politicians to update the 1993 Welsh Language Act, saying he was doing his duty by raising it.
Mark Gibney was a 40 year old motorcyclist, who was killed in 2003 through decapitation
when his bike crashed on a bend on the B5105 between Cerrigydrudion
and Ruthin
in Denbighshire
. In a private presentation to reporters in May 2007 to launch a new approach to speeding via courses and training versus points and fines, Brunstrom used a series of photographs of dead motorists including, without consent, a photograph of Gibney's decapitated body. Brunstrom had the photographs of Gibney, which he described as "outstandingly good", inserted after an earlier draft of the presentation was not "gruesome" enough. Although both Brunstrom and the North Wales Police Authority apologised without reservation to the family, Brunstrom was investigated by the IPCC
at the request of the Police Authority, and was given a warning "for failing to warn the family that the images would be used." and for expecting to be able to show the images to reporters without their being reported. Albert Owen
, the Labour MP for Anglesey
called for Brunstrom to resign as he was "out of control", letting a "over-arching zeal to persecute motorcyclists" overcome common sense, and that the controversy surrounding him overshadows the work of the police. When later interviewed about the choice of photograph, Brunstrom apologised to Gibney's family and admitted making a mistake he regretted, but admitted that he would if given the choice use the photograph again but would have approached the family first.
On Monday 23 April 2007 Richard Brunstrom published an entry in his blog containing the location of Denbighshire County Council's replacement CCTV Control Room. Denbighshire County Council had tried to keep its specific location confidential for staff security reasons. In other blog entries, Brunstrom has been very supportive of the use of CCTV in general as a tool in the fight against petty crime and environmental crime, such as canines defecating in public places.
Chief Constable
Chief constable is the rank used by the chief police officer of every territorial police force in the United Kingdom except for the City of London Police and the Metropolitan Police, as well as the chief officers of the three 'special' national police forces, the British Transport Police, Ministry...
of North Wales Police
North Wales Police
North Wales Police is the territorial police force responsible for policing North Wales. The headquarters are in Colwyn Bay, with divisional headquarters in St Asaph, Caernarfon and Wrexham....
, a position he held from January 2001 to July 2009.
Early life
Brunstrom's father was a geologist of Swedish descent. He grew up in SurreySurrey
Surrey is a county in the South East of England and is one of the Home Counties. The county borders Greater London, Kent, East Sussex, West Sussex, Hampshire and Berkshire. The historic county town is Guildford. Surrey County Council sits at Kingston upon Thames, although this has been part of...
. Brunstrom graduated in Zoology
Zoology
Zoology |zoölogy]]), is the branch of biology that relates to the animal kingdom, including the structure, embryology, evolution, classification, habits, and distribution of all animals, both living and extinct...
from the University of Wales, Bangor. He got two years into a Zoology PhD
Doctor of Philosophy
Doctor of Philosophy, abbreviated as Ph.D., PhD, D.Phil., or DPhil , in English-speaking countries, is a postgraduate academic degree awarded by universities...
but joined the police.
Career
He joined Sussex PoliceSussex Police
Sussex Police is the territorial police force responsible for policing East Sussex, West Sussex and City of Brighton and Hove in southern England. Its head office is in Lewes, Lewes District, East Sussex.-History:...
. After 11 years, in 1990 he moved to Greater Manchester Police
Greater Manchester Police
Greater Manchester Police is the police force responsible for law enforcement within the metropolitan county of Greater Manchester in North West England...
as a Superintendent serving initially in Old Trafford
Old Trafford
Old Trafford commonly refers to two sporting arenas:* Old Trafford, home of Manchester United F.C.* Old Trafford Cricket Ground, home of Lancashire County Cricket ClubOld Trafford can also refer to:...
, regularly commanded the policing of Manchester United and Manchester City home football games. He then became a Divisional Commander at Bury
Bury
Bury is a town in Greater Manchester, England. It lies on the River Irwell, east of Bolton, west-southwest of Rochdale, and north-northwest of the city of Manchester...
. Brunstrom was appointed Assistant Chief Constable in the Cleveland Police
Cleveland Police
Cleveland Police is the territorial police force responsible for policing the area of former county of Cleveland in north east England. The Cleveland Police area covers approximately and has a population of over 554,000....
in September 1995, subsequently promoted to Deputy Chief Constable.
North Wales Police
Brunstrom joined North Wales Police as Deputy Chief Constable in January 2000, and was appointed Chief Constable of the Force in January 2001. Throughout his tenure, Brunstrom has courted controversy with his campaign against speeding drivers, and his support for speed cameras has drawn criticism from motorist groups. His vociferous action against speeding and other traffic crimes has led to his being nicknamed the "Mad Mullah of the Traffic Taliban", and to accusations of being "obsessed" with speeding at the expense of catching criminals, and led The Sun newspaper to catch Brunstrom's daughter exceeding the speed limit by 19 miles per hour in the family car. Brunstrom claims his policy was responsible for a reduction in traffic injuries. His views on traffic law enforcement caused him to be a consistent subject of ridicule on the BBC TwoBBC Two
BBC Two is the second television channel operated by the British Broadcasting Corporation in the United Kingdom. It covers a wide range of subject matter, but tending towards more 'highbrow' programmes than the more mainstream and popular BBC One. Like the BBC's other domestic TV and radio...
program Top Gear.
Brunstrom has called for the decriminalisation of all drugs – including heroin and cocaine
Cocaine
Cocaine is a crystalline tropane alkaloid that is obtained from the leaves of the coca plant. The name comes from "coca" in addition to the alkaloid suffix -ine, forming cocaine. It is a stimulant of the central nervous system, an appetite suppressant, and a topical anesthetic...
– and has urged the Government to declare an end to the "failed" war on illegal narcotics.
Brunstrom has been praised for his action against anti-social behaviour and his learning and promotion of the Welsh language
Welsh language
Welsh is a member of the Brythonic branch of the Celtic languages spoken natively in Wales, by some along the Welsh border in England, and in Y Wladfa...
, and being the first Chief Constable to have his own blog
Blog
A blog is a type of website or part of a website supposed to be updated with new content from time to time. Blogs are usually maintained by an individual with regular entries of commentary, descriptions of events, or other material such as graphics or video. Entries are commonly displayed in...
. Previously he was ACPO's head of road policing policy, head of the UK’s National Wildlife Crime Unit
National Wildlife Crime Unit
The National Wildlife Crime Unit is a British national police unit that gathers intelligence on wildlife crime and provides analytical and investigative support to law enforcement agencies.-History:It was officially launched on 18 October 2006...
, and police co-ordinator on drugs policy across Wales.
In September 2007, as a demonstration of support for Taser
Taser
A Taser is an electroshock weapon that uses electrical current to disrupt voluntary control of muscles. Its manufacturer, Taser International, calls the effects "neuromuscular incapacitation" and the devices' mechanism "Electro-Muscular Disruption technology"...
s being trialled in rural areas of North Wales, Brunstrom volunteered to be tasered by his fellow officers. Video footage of the event was posted on the force's website; Brunstrom was tasered for 1.5 seconds, and swore as he lost control of his body. Afterwards he described the event as "Not pleasant" and warned "I very strongly advise you, if faced by an officer and a Taser, that you follow the instructions of the nice police officer, because you will not enjoy the consequences of disobedience.".
During refurbishment work at North Wales Police headquarters in December 2007 Brunstrom staged a break-in, scaling scaffolding attached to the building and climbing through a window. It was initially claimed that this was a stunt to expose lax security., but a Freedom of Information request subsequently revealed that this was a fabrication; the real reason for the 'break-in' was that Brunstrom's entry fob no longer worked.
On Tuesday 10 February 2009, Brunstrom appeared as a co-presenter on the Jeremy Vine
Jeremy Vine
Jeremy Guy Vine is a British author, journalist and news presenter for the BBC. He is known for his direct interview style and exclusive reporting from war-torn areas throughout Africa...
Show on BBC Radio 2
BBC Radio 2
BBC Radio 2 is one of the BBC's national radio stations and the most popular station in the United Kingdom. Much of its daytime playlist-based programming is best described as Adult Contemporary or AOR, although the station is also noted for its specialist broadcasting of other musical genres...
.
Welsh language
Brunstrom has been praised for his learning and promotion of the Welsh language
Welsh language
Welsh is a member of the Brythonic branch of the Celtic languages spoken natively in Wales, by some along the Welsh border in England, and in Y Wladfa...
, in which he holds an A level. This has led to his being created an honorary Druid
Druid
A druid was a member of the priestly class in Britain, Ireland, and Gaul, and possibly other parts of Celtic western Europe, during the Iron Age....
by the Gorsedd of Bards list at the 2006 National Eisteddfod, and in April 2007 he made a speech to Welsh communities pressure group Cymuned
Cymuned
Cymuned is a Welsh communities pressure group. Established in 2001, the group campaigns on behalf of local communities in Wales, particularly Welsh-speaking and rural ones, which it perceives to be under threat due to demographic change.Cymuned has campaigned on issues of housing, incomers, and...
in which he urged politicians to update the 1993 Welsh Language Act, saying he was doing his duty by raising it.
Mark Gibney
Mark Gibney was a 40 year old motorcyclist, who was killed in 2003 through decapitation
Decapitation
Decapitation is the separation of the head from the body. Beheading typically refers to the act of intentional decapitation, e.g., as a means of murder or execution; it may be accomplished, for example, with an axe, sword, knife, wire, or by other more sophisticated means such as a guillotine...
when his bike crashed on a bend on the B5105 between Cerrigydrudion
Cerrigydrudion
Cerrigydrudion is a village and its surrounding parish in Conwy County Borough, north Wales. Previously it was part of the historic county of Denbighshire and then Clwyd. The village formerly lay on the A5, but a short by-pass now takes the road along the south-western edge of the village...
and Ruthin
Ruthin
Ruthin is a community and the county town of Denbighshire in north Wales. Located around a hill in the southern part of the Vale of Clwyd - the older part of the town, the castle and Saint Peter's Square are located on top of the hill, while many newer parts of the town are on the floodplain of...
in Denbighshire
Denbighshire
Denbighshire is a county in north-east Wales. It is named after the historic county of Denbighshire, but has substantially different borders. Denbighshire has the distinction of being the oldest inhabited part of Wales. Pontnewydd Palaeolithic site has remains of Neanderthals from 225,000 years...
. In a private presentation to reporters in May 2007 to launch a new approach to speeding via courses and training versus points and fines, Brunstrom used a series of photographs of dead motorists including, without consent, a photograph of Gibney's decapitated body. Brunstrom had the photographs of Gibney, which he described as "outstandingly good", inserted after an earlier draft of the presentation was not "gruesome" enough. Although both Brunstrom and the North Wales Police Authority apologised without reservation to the family, Brunstrom was investigated by the IPCC
Independent Police Complaints Commission
The Independent Police Complaints Commission is a non-departmental public body in England and Wales responsible for overseeing the system for handling complaints made against police forces in England and Wales.-Role:...
at the request of the Police Authority, and was given a warning "for failing to warn the family that the images would be used." and for expecting to be able to show the images to reporters without their being reported. Albert Owen
Albert Owen
Albert Owen is a Welsh Labour Party politician and Member of Parliament for Ynys Môn. He took the seat in the 2001 election from Plaid Cymru with a margin of exactly eight hundred votes and retained the seat with an increased majority of approximately twelve hundred votes in the 2005 election. In...
, the Labour MP for Anglesey
Anglesey
Anglesey , also known by its Welsh name Ynys Môn , is an island and, as Isle of Anglesey, a county off the north west coast of Wales...
called for Brunstrom to resign as he was "out of control", letting a "over-arching zeal to persecute motorcyclists" overcome common sense, and that the controversy surrounding him overshadows the work of the police. When later interviewed about the choice of photograph, Brunstrom apologised to Gibney's family and admitted making a mistake he regretted, but admitted that he would if given the choice use the photograph again but would have approached the family first.
CCTV
On Monday 23 April 2007 Richard Brunstrom published an entry in his blog containing the location of Denbighshire County Council's replacement CCTV Control Room. Denbighshire County Council had tried to keep its specific location confidential for staff security reasons. In other blog entries, Brunstrom has been very supportive of the use of CCTV in general as a tool in the fight against petty crime and environmental crime, such as canines defecating in public places.