PRESSURE is growing on Home Secretary David Blunkett to intervene to end more than four years of messy controversy surrounding Cleveland Police.
A disciplinary hearing, expected to finish today or tomorrow, could well bring an end to one of the most bitter internal wrangles in the history of the British police, as well as the career of the saga's leading protagonist, suspended Detective Superintendent Ray Mallon.
He is now likely to be sacked, after sensationally pleading guilty last week to the 14 disciplinary charges that have hung over his head for years.
The suspended head of Middlesbrough CID took the step in a bid to bring the disciplinary process to a speedy conclusion, allowing him the chance to be a candidate for Middlesbrough's first directly-elected mayor.
But the end of the disciplinary hearing, even if it brings the dismissal Mr Mallon is hoping for, will remove just one of several headaches afflicting the Cleveland force.
Mr Mallon, 46, dubbed Robocop for his uncompromising attitude to crime, was suspended and accused of alleged "activity that could be construed as criminal" in December 1997.
The move came as part of the Operation Lancet anti-corruption investigation.
Lancet cost Cleveland council taxpayers almost £7m and saw dozens of officers diverted from frontline duties to investigate their colleagues. The inquiry levelled nearly 400 criminal allegations against 60 Cleveland officers, including those suspended.
But in June 2000, the Crown Prosecution Service decided not to proceed with a single allegation.
Over the years, there have been repeated calls for a public inquiry into why the massive probe was allowed to go on for so long.
Those calls have become increasingly stronger, and have now widened into an appeal for the Home Secretary to bring his weight to bear.
Lord Mackenzie of Fram-wellgate, a former Home Office advisor and ex-head of the Police Superintendents' Association, said last night: "I think it raises whole questions of the leadership of the force and, through the Home Secretary, the Home Office will be taking an interest in the case once it's finalised and finished."
Singling out Cleveland Chief Constable Barry Shaw, Lord Mackenzie added: "Obviously, at the end of the day the buck stops at the top. The way a force is run is obviously a matter from the chief officers and, if there is a catalogue of disasters and failures, then responsibility lies with those who have chosen and put people in places.''
Referring to Operation Lancet, he said: "For an inquiry to go on for over four years doesn't do justice to anyone and of course it costs a lot of money.
"I've called for an independent inquiry for a long time because it raises very serious implications for the whole of the police complaints system.
"We need to know what the grounds were originally for suspending Ray Mallon and the other officers.''
But with the ending of the formal disciplinary hearing against Mr Mallon, a bloody political battle is expected to start in earnest.
The embittered detective is expected to fight tooth and nail to be mayor, while his opponents and critics are unlikely to stand by and risk him securing a power base from which to attack them publicly.
Insiders expect the battle to be protracted - and very dirty.
While neither Mr Mallon nor Cleveland Police would comment last night, the first shots may be fired the moment Hertfordshire Police Chief Constable Paul Acres - who is overseeing the disciplinary hearing - announces his decision.
Further flak is expected from an emergency session of Cleveland Police Authority, thought to have been hurriedly called for Wednesday.
Mr Shaw has long promised to speak about the Mallon affair at the first opportunity and Wednesday's meeting will provide him with that chance
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