- James Anderton
Sir (Cyril) James Anderton CBE (born
May 24 ,1932 ) is a British formerpolice officer, who served asChief Constable of Greater Manchester from 1975 to 1991.Life and career
Anderton was born in
Wigan , and educated in local schools. He served in themilitary police before joining the civil force in 1953. He rose rapidly through the police ranks, studyingcriminology at theVictoria University of Manchester , eventually gaining a reputation as a tough but thoughtful chief officer. He became Deputy Chief Constable ofLeicestershire Constabulary .His appointment as Chief Constable of Greater Manchester was announced on
October 23 ,1975 . Anderton frequently courted public controversy with his outspoken views on policing and morality. As a professedChristian who claimed to speak with the supreme being regularly and who characterized himself to be an instrument of divine judgment, [ [http://open.bbc.co.uk/catalogue/infax/programme/SX+42409_0 BBC Programme Catalogue ] ] Anderton came to be known as "God's Copper". This led to the press and the public questioning his mental health and capability to perform his job appropriately. He was often in conflict with the city's political leadership during the 1980s, especially over his ultra-conservative views onhomosexuality andAIDS : he declared that homosexuality should be illegal, and he referred to homosexuals and those with AIDS as "swirling in a cesspit of their own making". [ [http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/programmes/panorama/4348096.stm BBC NEWS | Programmes | Panorama | The 1980s AIDS campaign ] ] [ [http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9B0DE3D6133CF93AA15752C0A961948260&sec=health&spon=&pagewanted=2 Britain Begins Crash Campaign To Educate Public About The Spread Of Aids - New York Times ] ] [ [http://www.timeout.com/london/gay/features/3080.html Gay Pride - Features - Gay - Time Out London ] ] [ [http://www.spiked-online.com/index.php?/site/article/2154/ Censorship in drag is still censorship | spiked ] ]In 1989 he was caricatured as "James Appleton" in
David Britton 's satirical novel "Lord Horror ", in which Britton replaced "homosexuals" with "Jews" in one of Anderton's better-known speeches. This action that resulted in the book's banning and Britton's imprisonment for four months. [ [http://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/film-and-tv/features/the-lady-vanishes-what-ever-happened-to-fenella-fielding-785265.html The lady vanishes: What ever happened to Fenella Fielding?] , Robert Chalmers, "The Independent", 24 February 2008]In 1986 he was embroiled in national political controversy when his deputy
John Stalker was suspended over allegations of his friendship with a man called Kevin Taylor, who was accused of fraud and drug-dealing, [ [http://archives.tcm.ie/irishexaminer/2007/01/27/story23975.asp Irish Examiner - 2007/01/27: The police played dirty tricks and deadly games. So what’s new? ] ] when on the point of completing an official report critical of the policing policies of theRoyal Ulster Constabulary .Anderton is married to Joan Baron, and the couple have one daughter. They live in Sale. Since retirement, Anderton has spent his time working for various charities and with young offenders, and supporting the
Salvation Army .References
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