Cheshire police and crime commissioner David Keane has defended hiring a long-standing Labour colleague as his £50,000-a-year deputy insisting she is ‘not my mate’ but simply ‘the best candidate for the job’.

Mr Keane came out fighting after Cheshire East Tory member Cllr Howard Murray, chair of the county’s police and crime panel, wrote expressing reservations about the appointment of Sareda Dirir following the confirmation hearing over which he presided.

He said the panel was of the view she ‘failed to demonstrate an adequate knowledge and understanding of the operation of the police service and criminal justice system’ but had agreed she met the ‘minimum standard’.

Chief constable Simon Byrne congratulating David Keane on being elected Cheshire police and crime commissioner in 2016.
Chief constable Simon Byrne congratulating David Keane on being elected Cheshire police and crime commissioner in 2016.

Concerns were raised by one panel member about how her appointment might be perceived by the public given her parents are Labour councillors representing the same Warrington ward as Mr Keane.

But Mr Keane went ahead with the appointment of Mrs Dirir, a Labour councillor in Salford, who began her new full-time role on Monday (March 20).

And the crime commissioner, who earns £75,000, hit back: “Sareda is not my mate. I have known her for a long time and I have worked with her in the past but I regard her as a well qualified individual for the job.”

Mr Keane, who interviewed four candidates from 21 applications – assisted by a team of independent advisers – described ‘a politically charged atmosphere’ on the panel.

He insisted the process was ‘open and transparent’ which ‘didn’t happen last time’ under his predecessor when there was ‘merely an announcement’.

Panel members were also of the view that Mrs Dirir ‘provided insufficient evidence’ that she would have the level of personal independence necessary given her long-standing relationship with Mr Keane.

David Keane pounds the streets of Tarporley with chief inspector Simon Meegan

But Mr Keane said this was a misinterpretation of the guidance, saying it was necessary to be independent of the Cheshire Constabulary in holding the force to account.

He welcomed the fact Mrs Dirir had ‘shared values’ which he regarded as a positive factor given her role was to support him in delivering the police and crime plan for Cheshire.

And Mr Keane tackled the panel’s view his deputy may not have sufficient insight into policing.

He countered: “This is not a police officer’s role concerned with running the constabulary. My role and that of the deputy is to hold the constabulary to account.

Assistant chief constable Sarah Boycott with police and crime commissioner David Keane

“I was looking for somebody with the proven ability to represent the residents of Cheshire, somebody who was articulate and somebody with experience. I believe her skills will enable her to hold the constabulary to account on behalf of the people of Cheshire.

“You are not talking about a Donald Trump situation where the US president is a man without a day’s political experience, you are not talking about George Osborne who is now the editor of the Evening Standard. You are talking about a lady who has worked in public service for over 20 years.”

He said Mrs Dirir had worked as a teacher, for charities and championing underrepresented communities. Whether she continued as a councillor given her new responsibilities was ‘completely an issue for her’.

Speaking about the police and crime panel’s ultimate recommendation to hire Mrs Dirir, Mr Keane said: “They came to a decision that backed up my belief that Sareda was the best candidate for the job.”

■ The Chronicle understands one of the four shortlisted candidates interviewed at Cheshire Police headquarters on January 27, 2017, has lodged a formal complaint, questioning the objectivity of the selection process.

The complaint will be investigated by Cheshire East Council’s monitoring officer to ensure compliance with Elected Local Policing Bodies (Complaints and Misconduct) Regulations 2012.