THE former chairman of Cleveland Police Authority has been arrested on suspicion of corruption as a result of a criminal investigation into the force.

Dave McLuckie is the latest person to be arrested as Operation Sacristy continues looking into a number of people with current or past associations with the authority and the manner in which it may have conducted some of its business.

A number of addresses across the Cleveland force area were searched by officers during a series of raids yesterday morning and the Redcar and Cleveland Borough councillor was taken to a North Yorkshire police station for questioning.

The move comes after chief constable Sean Price was arrested in August on suspicion of misconduct in public office, fraud by abuse of position and corrupt practice, following a series of dawn raids at addresses across the region.

Last month, Mr Price, his deputy, Derek Bonnard, and the force’s former solicitor, Caroline Llewellyn, were bailed until April next year as the investigation, which is costing more than £100,000 a month, continues.

All four have maintained their innocence throughout the investigation.

The inquiry is being headed by Warwickshire Police’s chief constable, Keith Bristow, and is being conducted by a team of officers from North Yorkshire Police.

A Warwickshire Police spokeswoman said: “Police officers attached to the investigation into people with current or past associations with Cleveland Police Authority have arrested a man in connection with their inquiries.

“The man was arrested on suspicion of corrupt practice, relating to the Public Bodies Corrupt Practices Act 1889 and the Prevention of Corruption Act 1906.

“A number of premises in Cleveland are being searched in connection with this arrest.

“The man has been taken to a police station in North Yorkshire where he will be interviewed by members of the investigation team. No further information is available at this time.”

The Labour councillor stood down from his post as chairman of the authority in May, days after the investigation was launched, and was later suspended by the Labour Party.

He has always maintained that he has done nothing wrong. No one was available for comment last night from Mr McLuckie’s legal representatives Lupton Fawcett Solicitors.

However, in May, he said: “I want to make it crystal clear that I do not believe I have ever acted improperly during my time on the Cleveland Police Authority and especially during my period as chairman.”

In August, the Skelton ward councillor was reinstated into the party due to a lack of clarity over the timescale of the investigation into the police authority.

The following month he was appointed as the council’s cabinet member for the environment.

Last night, Redcar and Cleveland Borough Council was unable to comment while the investigation continues.