GMP suspends top policewoman

Assistant Chief Constable Rebekah Sutcliffe

A TOP policewoman has been suspended by Greater Manchester Police after allegedly exposing her breasts in a row with another female officer.

Assistant Chief Constable Rebekah Sutcliffe, who recently spoke at an Oldham women’s conference on sexual abuse, has been suspended over allegations of inappropriate behaviour.

ACC Sutcliffe, who is understood to live in Saddleworth, is said to have been involved in a late-night argument with another officer at a hotel bar following the Senior Women in Police conference in Manchester.

Earlier today a GMP spokesperson told the Chronicle: “A senior officer has been suspended following allegations of inappropriate behaviour. An investigation is underway and it would be inappropriate to make further comment.”

The force said it would not confirm the details of the officer involved in the probe, which is reportedly now being treated as a complaint over bullying.

Last month, ACC Sutcliffe was a speaker at a women’s conference at Oldham’s Queen Elizabeth Hall to discuss sensitive issues such as child sexual exploitation. The event was attended by hundreds of women including representatives from the Hindu charity Shree Prajapati Association UK (SPA UK).

She has previously faced criticism over her behaviour. On one occasion, she tried to gatecrash her way into a Labour conference event at a Manchester city centre hotel.

In a second incident, she failed to declare that she was in a relationship with a fellow officer when she sat on a disciplinary panel, in an alleged conflict of interest.

The panel investigation surrounded an incident at Chadderton police station when student Jonathan Rushambara was pulled out of a police van and across the floor.

ACC Sutcliffe joined Greater Manchester Police in 1993 and spent much of the first part of her career as a detective.

She was a Detective Chief Inspector in Salford division and has conducted several reviews of major crime.

She later became a Divisional Commander at Stockport, where she worked with other agencies to protect high-risk families, tackle child sexual exploitation and organised crime.

She began her current role in 2013.