Robert John Beckley MStJ QPM is a senior British police officer and the High Sheriff of Somerset. Since November 2016 he has been seconded as an Assistant Commissioner from the Metropolitan Police to the Home Office to head the Command Team of Operation Resolve, the investigation into the Hillsborough disaster.[1] He was awarded the Queen's Police Medal in 2007.[1] In March 2024 he was declared High Sherrif of Somerset.[2]
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Early life edit
Beckley graduated in Law from the University of Durham (University College).[3] He spent four years working in development and education in Africa before joining the police.[4]
Career edit
His first police service was with the Metropolitan Police in Brixton, Southall and New Scotland Yard (1986–1997), with whom he rose to the rank of Chief Inspector, before being promoted to Chief Superintendent during a subsequent spell in Thames Valley Police (1997–2002).[1][4] He was then promoted to Assistant Chief Constable just before moving to head Territorial Operations (and later Crime and Operations) in Hertfordshire Police (2002–2007) then to become Deputy Chief Constable of Avon and Somerset Police (2007–2016).[1]
In parallel with these posts he also held the national portfolio for citizens in policing and later for counter-terrorism and matters of race and faith.[4] This was followed by time as Chief Operating Officer of the new College of Policing from July 2013 to 2016, after which he was appointed an Assistant Commissioner in the Metropolitan Police simultaneously with his appointment to his role with Operation Resolve.[5] In April 2018, in his role with the Home Office, he responded to the investigation into Operation Midland by recommending a move away from police automatically believing victims to one in which victims were reassured they were being listened to.[6]
Honours edit
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| Ribbon | Description | Notes |
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Order of St John (MStJ)[7] |
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Queen's Police Medal (QPM) | |
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Queen Elizabeth II Golden Jubilee Medal |
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Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee Medal |
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Queen Elizabeth II Platinum Jubilee Medal |
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King Charles III Coronation Medal |
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Police Long Service and Good Conduct Medal |
References edit
- ^ a b c d "Operation Resolve - The Command Team". Archived from the original on 9 March 2022.
- ^ "The High Sheriff of Somerset".
- ^ "Results of Final Examinations held in June 1981". University of Durham Graduate. XXVI (New Series): 60. 1982. Retrieved 2 July 2022.
- ^ a b c "Cumberland Lodge - Assistant Commissioner Robert Beckley QPM". Retrieved 29 March 2022.
- ^ "Assistant Commissioner Rob Beckley, from Taunton, heads up Hillsborough investigation Operation Resolve". Somerset County Gazette. 7 December 2016.
- ^ Hearty, Kevin (24 April 2018). "College Proposes End to Automatic Belief of Victims". Police Professional.
- ^ "Order of St John | the Gazette".