IPCC decision prompts Fedorcio resignation
The Metropolitan Police Services (MPS) head of the Directorate of Public Affairs Dick Fedorcio, who was under investigation by the Independent Police Complaints Commission (IPCC), has resigned.
The Metropolitan Police Services (MPS) head of the Directorate of Public Affairs Dick Fedorcio, who was under investigation by the Independent Police Complaints Commission (IPCC), has resigned.
The IPCC concluded that Mr Fedorcio had a case to answer following its investigation into his association with Neil Wallis, a former deputy editor at the News of the World.
Details of the IPCC investigation have not yet been released.
The investigation focused on the circumstances under which a contract for senior level media advice and support was awarded to Mr Wallis company, Chamy Media.
Deborah Glass, deputy chair of the IPCC, said: Our investigation found that Mr Fedorcio has a case to answer in relation to his procurement of the contract for Chamy Media. Last week the MPS proposed to initiate proceedings for gross misconduct and I agreed with that proposal.
In light of Mr Fedorcios resignation, those proceedings cannot now take place and I propose to publish our investigation report detailing our findings, in the next few days.
Mr Fedorcio had been on extended leave since August last year pending the investigation into his relationship with the former News of the World executive, who was arrested on suspicion of phone hacking last July but has not been charged.
Mr Walliss company is thought to have been paid £24,000 by the MPS for PR advice between October 2009 and September 2010. But Mr Fedorcio said he had hired Mr Wallis as a consultant because he wanted someone he knew and trusted.
He said he had taken the decision to take on a consultant in 2009 while his deputy was on long-term sick leave. Mr Fedorcio said he discussed the possibility of hiring the former executive with then-assistant commissioner John Yates.
In evidence given by Mr Yates to the same inquiry however, the former commissioner said Mr Wallis gave him categorical assurances there was nothing about the News of the World phone-hacking case that could emerge later and cause any issues.
Mr Fedorcio said he only became aware that Mr Wallis was of interest to the MPS after he was arrested on July 14 last year in relation to the phone hacking scandal.
The MPS confirmed that Mr Fedorcio, who was in his role for the past 14 years, had taken the decision to leave on March 31.
A spokesperson said: During that period he has made a very significant contribution to the work of the MPS.