Nicola Bulley: Police chief retires after criticism over handling of case

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The head of the police power that oversaw the case of lacking mom Nicola Bulley has introduced his retirement simply weeks after the investigation was criticised in a assessment.

Chief constable of Lancashire Police Chris Rowley mentioned he can be stepping down on the finish of March after a 31-year profession.

It comes after the power was slammed for revealing Nicola Bulley’s well being struggles in a assessment of the handling of her disappearance.

The College of Policing report discovered Lancashire Police’s disclosure of private details about the lacking mom’s struggles with alcohol and menopause was “avoidable and unnecessary”.

Mr Rowley performed essential roles in many high-profile occasions and appeared at press conferences through the seek for mother-of-two Ms Bulley final yr.

The 45-year-old drowned within the the River Wyre whereas strolling her canine in St Michael’s on Wyre, Lancashire, on 27 January 2023. Her physique was discovered three weeks later, on 19 February after an enormous search effort.

An inquest concluded her demise was unintentional, that she fell into the river on the day she disappeared and died nearly instantly within the chilly water. Ms Bulley’s household mentioned they proceed to grieve her loss and don’t need to touch upon the report.

A assessment, revealed in November, discovered that, in policing phrases, the lacking individual’s investigation was effectively dealt with, however that the power had misplaced management of the general public narrative at an early stage.

Senior officers didn’t temporary mainstream accredited reporters as a result of belief between police and media had damaged down – resulting in an info vacuum and unchecked hypothesis, it mentioned.

The assessment discovered that Lancashire Police ought to have given non-reportable background briefings to accredited journalists to form accountable reporting, with out releasing private info.

It concluded that the failure to take action “allowed speculation to run unchecked”, with the disclosure of Ms Bulley’s non-public info proving to be “the most controversial aspect of the investigation”.

“The decision to retire has been difficult, but I feel now is the right time to hand the force over to the next person who will no doubt work tirelessly with the Police and Crime Commissioner to continue to reduce crime and make Lancashire a safe place to live, work and visit,” Mr Rowley mentioned.