Quick Facts
Biography
Nick Adderley (born 1966) is a senior British police officer, who is Chief Constable of Northamptonshire Police.
Career
Adderley grew up in New Moston, Manchester, and joined the Royal Navy in 1984 serving as both a cadet and regular service. After several other jobs, he then joined Cheshire Constabulary as a police constable and worked his way up to the rank of superintendent and left the Constabulary in 2010.
He then took a break from the Police Service but continued public sector work in the Home Office for two years, then joined Greater Manchester Police (GMP) at his previous police rank of superintendent.
Within the GMP, he was promoted to Chief Superintendent in August 2011, just over a year after he returned to policing. In September 2013, he became the territorial commander of the North Manchester Division; keeping the same rank.
In 2015 he was promoted to Assistant Chief Constable at Staffordshire Police after completing his Strategic Command Course.
Chief Constable
As of 6 August 2018, Adderley became Chief Constable of Northamptonshire Police.
He is also the National Police Chiefs' Council (NPCC) National Lead for Disclosure and Safeguarding as well as Motorcycling and Criminal Use of Motorcycles. Adderley has recently taken on the role of NPCC lead for police aviation.
In 2019 Adderley was involved in the investigation of the death of Harry Dunn in a motor-cycle crash, where a suspect, the wife of a U.S. intelligence officer, claimed diplomatic immunity and left the United Kingdom. Adderley tweeted adversely on the parents decision to sue the suspect in the U.S. civil courts, prompting the parents to call on Adderley to resign. The parents referred Northamptonshire Police to the Independent Office for Police Conduct. The Northamptonshire Police, Fire and Crime Commissioner Stephen Mold spoke to Adderley about the tweet and said that the force's communications should "remain professional and sensitive".
In April 2020, Adderley was rebuked by Home Secretary Priti Patel after controversial comments regarding his department's response to COVID-19 received wide media attention. He had stated at a press conference that while his police would not, "at this stage, start to marshal supermarkets and [check] the items in baskets and trolleys to see whether it's a legitimate necessary item", that if people did not heed his warnings, "we will start to do that". Patel declared that his comments had been "inappropriate". Adderley subsequently backed away from the threatened policing shift.
In February 2023 Adderley temporarily retired from Northamptonshire Police due to return in April 2023. This was due to pension arrangements limiting the tenability of continuing in the role without the break.Adderley was suspended on 16th October 2023 as part of a gross misconduct investigation, overseen by the IOPC.
Honours
| Ribbon | Description | Notes |
| Queen Elizabeth II Golden Jubilee Medal |
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| Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee Medal |
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| Queen Elizabeth II Platinum Jubilee Medal |
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| King Charles III Coronation Medal |
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| Police Long Service and Good Conduct Medal |
Controversy
On 29 September 2023 it was reported in the British media that Adderley had been wearing two campaign medals which he was not entitled to: the South Atlantic Medal for the Falklands War and the General Service Medal with Northern Ireland clasp. This was despite Adderley himself being only 15 years old at the Falklands War. A complaint was made to the office of the Northamptonshire Police, Fire and Crime Commissioner, who in turn referred the matter to the Independent Office for Police Conduct for their attention. The explanation that Adderley provided was that they had been given to him by his brothers' to wear. In response to the complaint, he "immediately took advice last week regarding the protocol and have changed the side of [his] chest on which these medals are worn."