Jeff Boothe, Croydon police’s Borough Commander, has been assigned to “other duties” for the past three months, pending an investigation into his involvement in a domestic dispute in October.
‘Other duties’: borough police commander Jeff Boothe
“Basically, he’s on what might be called gardening leave,” a source told Inside Croydon, “while there’s an on-going investigation.”
Widely respected in Croydon circles, Boothe has been seen to do much work in trying to reduce the scourge of knife crime in the borough. His absence from formal borough occasions, such as the centenary Remembrance Day parade in November, prompted some council figures and other civic leaders to ask about his whereabouts.
Croydon Council’s chief executive, Jo Negrini, and council leader Tony Newman, have been aware of the situation. Croydon Council’s press office even has a statement prepared, ready to go in the event of the news of Boothe’s absence from his duties becoming public knowledge.
But Negrini has refused to respond to questions about the situation put to her on more than one occasion by Inside Croydon.
Chief Superintendent Boothe, 53, took over as Croydon’s Borough Commander in November 2016, having previously held a similar post in Bexley for 18 months.
Since a Metropolitan Police reorganisation last year, he has headed up one of the capital’s 12 new Basic Command Units, overseeing policing in Sutton and Bromley as well as Croydon. Boothe is one of just three senior officers from Black and Minority Ethnic backgrounds to be in charge of London’s policing command units.
Boothe, right, conducting a tour of Thornton Heath with London Mayor Sadiq Khan last year
Scotland Yard refused to comment on the nature of the incident or CS Boothe’s operational status when contacted by Inside Croydon. The officer has also chosen not to respond to our enquiries.
But other sources confirmed that Boothe was arrested after an incident at his home in Thornton Heath in October, understood to be a domestic dispute with his partner. The issue of child custody is also believed to be involved.
Boothe has not been suspended from police duties, but he has been assigned elsewhere while the matter remains under investigation within Croydon. Dave Stringer, a senior chief superintendent with experience of policing in Croydon, is deputising for Boothe in the meantime.
Victor Marshall, the professional standards co-ordinator for the Police Superintendents’ Association, issued a statement on Boothe’s behalf to Inside Croydon.
Marshall said: “Chief Superintendent Boothe strenuously denies all the allegations and is co-operating fully with the investigation.”
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So the Police, BBC etc went public about the allegations ( he was never arrested) against Cliff Richard yet when one of their senior officers is actually arrested it goes very quiet. Double Standards me thinks and thank you to Inside Croydon for researching this.
Not altogether sure that the comparison with the Richard case is appropriate, or fair.
It is entirely possible for someone to be arrested, even to spend a night in the cells, but have no case to answer and be released without charge. There should be no inference taken as to their conduct.
Cases of domestic dispute are notoriously difficult to adjudicate on, and indeed, to report. Where such involves a senior police officer, the Police has to be seen to investigate thoroughly, yet the desire for discretion – to avoid needlessly damaging someone’s reputation – is understandable.
All the past borough commander have been absolutely useless even before the cuts Croydon Police could not been bothered to response about illegal motorbikes in Selsdon Wood claiming it is not their problem until I informed them of the present laws and regulations relating to the incident and put in an official complain to the station serjeant. they them pulled their finger out of their backsides and served the community which they get paid for.
Who is the current Chief superintendent or Borough Commander of Croydon now then? Are we leaderless?
If you take a careful look at the news report, you’ll see that it has a date on it.
Jan 10, 2019
Superintendent Andy Brittain has had control of the force in Croydon, Sutton and Bromley since Nov 2019.