During Ian Blair’s time as chief constable in Surrey, I was the director of social services there. He excelled in working with colleagues from closely related public services.
Together, and with colleagues, we worked to reopen once “buried” difficult child abuse investigations, and to try and track down suspected perpetrators in residential care. With the probation service he introduced successful reparatory justice initiatives.
He was a model of a new style of police leadership: personally and professionally open and engaging with colleagues.
