According to Home Secretary Suella Braverman, the head of the police watchdog was compelled to retire after becoming the subject of a police probe.
Michael Lockwood, the director general of the Independent Office for Police Conduct, announced his resignation on Friday, citing “personal and home circumstances.”
However, the home secretary announced on Saturday that she had taken action after learning about the investigation into a past accusation.
Ms. Braverman stated that Mr. Lockwood was asked to either retire or be suspended.
She stated that she had accepted the resignation, which took effect immediately. No other details on the nature of the claim were provided.
Ms. Braverman noted that Home Office personnel are currently collaborating with the IOPC to “provide temporary arrangements for the organization’s leadership.”
The home secretary stated in a statement, “Upon learning that Mr. Lockwood was the subject of a police inquiry, I took prompt action and asked my colleagues to ask him to quit or risk immediate suspension from his position.”
Mr. Lockwood was the inaugural leader of the Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) when it succeeded the Independent Police Complaints Commission in 2018.
It deals with the most serious police complaints in England and Wales.
Mr. Lockwood stated in his Friday statement that he was retiring with “deep regret” and that it had been an “enormous honor” to serve as the organization’s first director general.
He was previously the chief executive officer of the northwest London Borough of Harrow.
According to the IOPC website, following the 2017 Grenfell Tower disaster, a government task group appointed Mr. Lockwood to head the recovery and remediation efforts and liaise with the bereaved families and survivors.
A certified public accountant, he has also served as executive director for local government finance and policy at the Local Government Association.
