{{short description|British chief constable}} {{other people||Michael Todd (disambiguation)}} {{Use British English|date=July 2016}} {{Use dmy dates|date=July 2016}} {{Infobox person | name = Michael J. Todd | honorific_suffix = QPM | image = Chief_Constable_Michael_J_Todd.jpg | image_size = 250px | caption = | birth_name = | birth_date = {{birth date|df=yes|1957|8|10}} | birth_place = Barking, Essex, England | death_date = {{death date and age|df=yes|2008|3|11|1957|8|10}} | death_place = Bwlch Glas, Snowdon, Wales | death_cause = | resting_place = | resting_place_coordinates = | nationality = | other_names = | known_for = | education = | alma_mater = | employer = Greater Manchester Police | occupation = Chief Constable | title = | height = | term = | predecessor = | successor = | political_party = | boards = | spouse = | partner = | children = | parents = | relatives = | signature = | website = | footnotes = }}
'''Michael James Todd''' (10 August 1957 – 11 March 2008<ref name="Times">[https://web.archive.org/web/20080727024911/http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/comment/obituaries/article3540685.ece Michael Todd: The Times obituary]. ''The Times''. London. 12 March 2008</ref>) was chief constable of Greater Manchester Police from October 2002 until his death.
==Early life and education== Todd grew up in Essex where he attended the Billericay School and later attended the University of Essex.<ref>{{cite web | url = https://www.echo-news.co.uk/mostpopular.var.2111469.mostviewed.update_tributes_to_chief_constable.php | access-date = 16 March 2008 |title=UPDATE: Tributes to Chief Constable| date = 12 March 2008 }}</ref> He graduated with a first class honours degree in government in 1989 and a master's degree in politics in 1994.<ref name="BBC Profile">{{cite news |title=Profile: Mike Todd |url=https://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/manchester/7290524.stm |work=BBC News |date=11 March 2008 |access-date=11 March 2008 }}</ref><ref name="Independent">{{cite news |first=John |last=Fahey |title=Michael Todd: profile |url=https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/home-news/michael-todd-profile-794271.html |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20220514/https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/home-news/michael-todd-profile-794271.html |archive-date=14 May 2022 |url-access=subscription |url-status=live |work=The Independent |date=11 March 2008 |access-date=11 March 2008 }}</ref> The university named him the alumnus of the year in 2003 for his contributions to policing and the community.<ref>{{cite web|title=University of Essex Alumni Website|url=https://www.essex.ac.uk/alumni/|access-date=15 March 2008}}</ref>
==Police career== Starting as a Police cadet Todd joined Essex Police in 1976.
After progressing through the ranks he attained the level of inspector via a management exchange programme with the Metropolitan Police.<ref name="IndependentObituary">{{cite news |title=Michael Todd: Charismatic police chief |url=https://www.independent.co.uk/news/obituaries/michael-todd-charismatic-police-chief-795697.html |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20220514/https://www.independent.co.uk/news/obituaries/michael-todd-charismatic-police-chief-795697.html |archive-date=14 May 2022 |url-access=subscription |url-status=live |access-date=16 May 2020 |work=The Independent |date=14 March 2008 |language=en}}</ref>
In 1995 he was appointed assistant chief constable of Nottinghamshire Police, initially managing support services and then operational policing.
He returned to the Metropolitan Police in 1998 when appointed deputy assistant commissioner and in 2000 he was promoted to the rank of assistant commissioner. Throughout his tenure as assistant commissioner he was responsible for Territorial Policing covering all 32 London Boroughs. He oversaw the policing of several high profile public events, such as the Notting Hill Carnival, the Golden Jubilee celebrations and the anti-capitalist May Day protests, for which he received a Commissioner's Commendation from then Commissioner John Stevens.
In 2002, he was selected as chief constable of Greater Manchester Police, overseeing a city then notable for its extensive gang-related gun crime and a force with a record of poor performance, inefficiency and mired in claims of institutional racism. By the time of his death he was viewed as instrumental in improving performance, helping to dispel Manchester's "Gunchester" image and restoring his forces's reputation within the local community.<ref>{{cite news |title=Mike Todd: A man with a vision to drive guns from Manchester's streets |url=https://www.independent.co.uk/news/people/profiles/mike-todd-a-man-with-a-vision-to-drive-guns-from-manchesters-streets-100765.html |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20220514/https://www.independent.co.uk/news/people/profiles/mike-todd-a-man-with-a-vision-to-drive-guns-from-manchesters-streets-100765.html |archive-date=14 May 2022 |url-access=subscription |url-status=live |access-date=27 May 2020 |work=The Independent |date=18 August 2003 |language=en}}</ref><ref name="IndependentObituary"/>
In 2006 he became a vice-president of the Association of Chief Police Officers (ACPO), a post he held until his death.<ref name="Independent"/><ref name="BBC Profile"/>
===Investigation of CIA extraordinary rendition flights=== On behalf of ACPO, Todd investigated the extraordinary rendition flights conducted by the CIA to transport detainees.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jhtml?xml=/news/2007/06/09/nflight109.xml |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080218094015/https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jhtml?xml=/news/2007/06/09/nflight109.xml |url-status=dead |archive-date=18 February 2008 |title= Police deny 'extraordinary rendition' flights |publisher=Telegraph |date=10 June 2007 |access-date=12 March 2008}}</ref>
===Taser demonstration=== Todd was a proponent of the use of the taser and advocated for the weapon to be more widely issued to front line police officers. In 2005, in order to demonstrate that the stun guns were safe and effective, he allowed himself to be tasered on camera. After recovering he said "I was completely incapacitated, and if I was carrying a weapon there was no way I could have done anything, as I just couldn't move. And yes, it hurt like hell and no, I wouldn't want to do it again. "<ref>[https://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/england/manchester/4650645.stm Chief constable hit by Taser gun]. BBC News. 5 July 2005.</ref> <ref>{{cite news |last1=Attewill |first1=Fred |title=Manchester top cop liked Tasers so much, he took 50,000 volt shock |url=https://www.theguardian.com/uk/2007/may/18/ukcrime |work=The Guardian |date=18 May 2007}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last1=News |first1=Manchester Evening |title=Top cop tastes a Taser |url=https://www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk/news/greater-manchester-news/top-cop-tastes-a-taser-992233 |work=men |date=17 May 2007}}</ref>
==Personal life== Todd was married for more than 27 years and had three children; a daughter and twin boys.<ref name="BBCMemorial">{{cite news |title=Police chief's 'apology' to wife |url=https://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/manchester/7341964.stm |access-date=4 May 2020 |agency=BBC |date=11 April 2008}}</ref>
His social interests included mountain biking, computer gaming and reading, particularly military and political biographies.<ref name="BBC Profile"/>
===Death=== After Todd was reported missing by Greater Manchester Police, rescue teams from Llanberis, North Wales started a search for him at 01:00 on 11 March 2008. After being alerted by hill walkers who found personal possessions, they found Todd's body in the ''Bwlch Glas'' area of Snowdon.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/england/manchester/7290359.stm |title=Top UK police chief is found dead |publisher=BBC |date=11 March 2008 |access-date=10 March 2008}}</ref> The post-mortem report initially found "no obvious cause" of death.<ref>{{cite web | url = https://news.sky.com/skynews/article/0,,30100-1308956,00.html | work = Sky News | title = No 'Obvious Cause' Of Top Cop's Death | access-date = 12 March 2008}}</ref>
The inquest into his death was opened and adjourned on 13 March 2008.
One month after his death a public memorial service was held for Todd at Manchester Cathedral. The service was relayed live on the BBC Big Screen Manchester and to the GMP Police training centre, Sedgley Park.<ref name="BBCMemorial"/><ref>{{cite web |title=Todd memorial service |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EhUY0HiPh8Y&t=65s |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/varchive/youtube/20211221/EhUY0HiPh8Y |archive-date=2021-12-21 |url-status=live|website=MEN YouTube| date=10 September 2009 }}{{cbignore}}</ref>
On 6 October 2008, the coroner ruled that Todd had died from exposure, essentially freezing to death having been only lightly clothed on the slopes of Snowdon, and while "his state of mind was affected by alcohol, a drug and confusion due to his personal situation."<ref>{{cite news | title=Widow forgives dead police chief | date=6 October 2008 | url =https://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/wales/7655611.stm | work =BBC News | access-date = 24 October 2008 }}</ref><ref>{{cite news |title=Last texts and tangled affairs of police chief |url=https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/home-news/last-texts-and-tangled-affairs-of-police-chief-953497.html |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20220514/https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/home-news/last-texts-and-tangled-affairs-of-police-chief-953497.html |archive-date=14 May 2022 |url-access=subscription |url-status=live |work=The Independent |date=7 October 2008 |language=en}}</ref>
===Post-death enquiry=== Following Todd's death several allegations were made about both his personal and professional conduct. An enquiry undertaken by Paul Scott-Lee, then chief constable of West Midlands Police, found that while his lifestyle damaged the reputation of the Police Service it did not compromise the discharging of his duties as chief constable. He was also cleared of any inappropriate professional misconduct such as that relating to expenses, promotions and misuse of Police equipment.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Keeling |first1=Neal |title=Todd: The official verdict |url=https://www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk/news/greater-manchester-news/todd-the-official-verdict-909997 |work=men |date=20 April 2010}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |title=Todd lifestyle 'damaged police' |url=https://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/england/manchester/7880459.stm |date=10 February 2009}}</ref>
==Honours== <div class="center"> 100px 100px 100px </div>
{| class="wikitable" style="margin:1em auto;" |- style="background:silver;" align="center" |Ribbon || Description || Notes |- |40px || Queen's Police Medal (QPM) || * 2001 |- |40px || Queen Elizabeth II Golden Jubilee Medal || * 2002 * UK Version of this Medal |- |40px || Police Long Service and Good Conduct Medal || |- |}
==References== {{wikinews|Greater Manchester Police Chief found dead}} {{reflist}}
==External links== *[https://web.archive.org/web/20080727024911/http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/comment/obituaries/article3540685.ece Obituary] in ''The Times'', 12 March 2008
{{s-start}} {{s-civ|pol}}
{{succession box | title=Metropolitan Police Service<br />Assistant Commissioner (Policy, Review and Standards) | years=2000–2001 | before=''First incumbent'' | after=Tarique Ghaffur}}
{{succession box | title=Metropolitan Police Service<br />Assistant Commissioner (Territorial Policing) | years=2001–2003 | before=Ian Johnston | after=Tim Godwin}}
{{succession box | title=Chief Constable of Greater Manchester Police | years=2002–2008 | before=David Wilmot | after= Peter Fahy}}
{{s-end}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Todd, Michael J.}} Category:1957 births Category:2008 deaths Category:People from Barking, London Category:Alumni of the University of Essex Category:Chief Constables of Greater Manchester Police Category:Deaths from hypothermia Category:20th-century British police officers Category:21st-century British police officers Category:Assistant commissioners of police of the Metropolis Category:Metropolitan Police recipients of the Queen's Police Medal Category:People educated at The Billericay School