As a prime policewoman in certainly one of Britain’s worst-rated forces, most individuals would possibly count on Lisa Theaker to dedicate her time to catching actual life criminals.
However the Assistant Chief Constable of Cleveland Police has provoked dismay after it emerged she is going to quickly be searching down pretend celeb ‘crooks’ on a actuality TV present.
Mrs Theaker is the primary serving officer to steer the staff of investigators on Channel 4’s hit programme Hunted, through which contestants attempt to evade seize for a number of days. Earlier sequence have been led by retired detectives.
She’s going to make her first look subsequent month in a celeb version of the present, the place the fugitives will embody former Olympic sprinter Iwan Thomas, drag queen The Vivienne and Ollie Locke-Locke, from TV present Made In Chelsea.
Mrs Theaker, who’s filmed swearing within the programme, used her vacation allowance to participate. However the choice has angered some, particularly because it comes because the pressure is making an attempt to enhance its popularity following a sequence of scandals and a damning inspection in 2019.
New function: Lisa Theaker
In September that yr, Cleveland turned the primary pressure in England and Wales to be rated insufficient by the police watchdog throughout all areas of efficiency – successfully placing it in particular measures. Mrs Theaker was appointed as chief of employees to steer the response into the watchdog’s findings.
And solely final week Cleveland, was named probably the most crime- ridden place in England and Wales, with extra offences dedicated per head of inhabitants than anyplace else.
Joan McTigue, a councillor in Middlesbrough, accused Mrs Theaker of ‘making a laughing inventory of the pressure’. She added: ‘The pressure has a horrible identify throughout the nation and what she’s determined to do can solely make it worse.’
Mrs Theaker stated she donated her payment for the celeb version, in assist of the Stand Up To Most cancers charity, to a different charity devoted to serving to younger ladies within the Tees Valley.
She instructed The Sunday Telegraph she determined to participate ‘to each signify the North East and amplify ladies’s voices, two issues I am keen about’.
She added: ‘I need to showcase the skills of policing. It is no secret that Cleveland Police was inspected and it was successfully deemed to be an insufficient pressure. However really there are some actually nice folks right here, notably ladies, who are actually in senior positions.’
Solely final week Cleveland was named probably the most crime- ridden place in England and Wales, with extra offences dedicated per head of inhabitants than anyplace else. Pictured: Cleveland Police Headquarters