39 OFFICERS ACCUSED AS CID INQUIRY CONTINUES

A TOTAL of 286 individual allegations are being investigated against
39 detectives in a squad credited with cutting crime through "zero
tolerance" policing.

The scale of Operation Lancet, set up a year ago to investigate
Middlesbrough CID, was disclosed by the Police Complaints Authority.
Last year, the department attracted praise from Tony Blair and Jack
Straw, the Home Secretary, and Michael Howard, his Conservative
predecessor.

Its high profile owed much to the publicity offensive of Det Supt Ray
Mallon, who pledged to resign his post as head of the department if he
failed to cut crime by a fifth in 18 months. His zero tolerance
approach, used successfully in America, involved targeting house
burglaries and anti-social crimes and brought stark results in
reducing offences.

In the event, Supt Mallon's pledge was never fully tested because of
his suspension last December as part of the Lancet inquiry. He is one
of seven Middlesbrough detectives currently suspended and has been
accused of leaking information and "alleged activity that could be
construed as criminal", all of which he vehemently denies.

Yesterday, the Police Complaints Authority said that 11 files
concerning the alleged misuse of drugs by detectives have now been
sent to the Crown Prosecution Service to decide whether officers
should be charged. The files are understood to relate to five
detective constables. It is not known to which officers they refer but
Det Supt Mallon is not believed to be one of them. A further 32 files
covering drugs-related issues will be sent to the CPS.

Lancet is also investigating other claims, including that suspects
were beaten up by detectives and that payments to informants were not
conducted properly. Tony Williams, a member of the Police Complaints
Authority said: "There are 45 police officers and staff working on the
inquiry. They are investigating 286 allegations which have been made
against 39 officers."

The authority was criticised earlier this year when a costly inquiry
into the Humberside force ended without any charges being brought.
That inquiry into allegations of child abuse led to 20 officers being
investigated over six years at a cost to the public of UKP4 million.

Lancet has also attracted criticism with its cost already thought to
be in excess of UKP1 million at a time when the Cleveland force
involved is having to make savings, including not replacing officers
who leave. Crime in Middlesbrough has also gone up since Lancet began,
with burglaries up 36 per cent on last year.

Supt Mallon said: "My position remains the same as it did when I was
suspended. I have not committed any offence. Ten months on I am still
waiting for Lancet to interview me on the matters for which I was
suspended, allegations I strenuously deny. Following consultation with
my solicitor, Mike Hymanson, I can confirm that no allegations in
relation to drugs have been levelled against me and neither of us has
received information that a file of any kind concerning me has been
sent to the CPS."

One of the operation's critics, Bob Pitt, a Middlesbrough councillor
and former police authority member, said: "I believe this inquiry has
lost its way. It is undermining the morale of the police and public
confidence in the force of law and order."

Checked-by: Rich O'Grady