The new Acting Chief Constable of West Midlands Police, Scott Green, has issued a stark apology and announced the force is referring itself to the police watchdog, following what he called 'damning' findings into its handling of a high-profile football match.
A Self-Referral to the Watchdog
Acting Chief Constable Scott Green confirmed that West Midlands Police has made a voluntary referral to the Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC). This unprecedented move relates to potential conduct matters involving senior officers concerning the planning and advice given for the Aston Villa versus Maccabi Tel Aviv Europa League match, the subsequent fallout, and appearances before the Home Affairs Committee.
The referral comes in the wake of the immediate retirement of former Chief Constable Craig Guildford last week. Mr Guildford stepped down after facing significant criticism over the force's approach to the fixture, which involved the Israeli team.
The 'Damning' HMICFRS Findings
The catalyst for the crisis was a report from His Majesty's Chief Inspector of Constabulary (HMICFRS), Sir Andy Cooke. The inspector found that 'confirmation bias' had influenced the force's controversial recommendation to ban Maccabi Tel Aviv away fans from attending the match at Villa Park.
Sir Andy stated that reports presented to the city's Safety Advisory Group (SAG) on October 10 and 24 contained inaccurate statements. These included exaggerated claims about the behaviour of Maccabi fans at a previous fixture in Amsterdam. The inspector concluded these inaccuracies would have been in the minds of police commanders when they reached their decision.
Furthermore, Mr Guildford had previously apologised to MPs for officers using Artificial Intelligence tool Microsoft Co-Pilot, which falsely cited a match between West Ham United and Maccabi Tel Aviv that never occurred.
An Unreserved Apology and Damaged Trust
In a comprehensive statement, ACC Green conceded the force's failings had led to a severe loss of trust and confidence from the public, and specifically damaged relationships with Jewish communities locally, nationally, and internationally.
He stated: "The failings identified by HMICFRS... are damning. A direct impact of our actions has been a loss of trust and confidence from the public of the West Midlands and more broadly."
Green also admitted the force's response to criticism, including the Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood's statement that she had lost confidence in Craig Guildford, was 'too defensive and not acceptable'. He offered an 'unreserved apology for the damage that we have caused'.
The Acting Chief Constable pledged that the force would work "tirelessly to restore that trust, ensuring that we police without fear or favour". He confirmed the force would fully cooperate with HMICFRS as it prepares its full report and is committed to learning and making changes.
The fallout from the match policing has triggered one of the most significant crises in recent history for West Midlands Police, prompting a major internal investigation and a public commitment to rebuild fractured community relations.
