Victoria Fuller, Chief Constable of Cleveland Police, expressed pride in her officers’ bravery while lamenting the inadequate funding that left the force feeling “let down” following a fatal crash on the A66 that claimed seven lives, including two police officers.
In her first interview since the incident, spoken exclusively to the BBC, Fuller called for the force to become part of a larger, better‑equipped organization. She noted that her officers are confronting crime rates comparable to major metropolitan forces, yet the department operates with less than half the number of officers.
The crash involved a Volkswagen Passat carrying five young men that drove the wrong way on the motorway near Middlesbrough before colliding with a marked police car. Officers had chased the vehicle for almost seven minutes, but the pursuit was abandoned ten seconds before the collision, according to the Independent Office for Police Conduct.
Fuller recalled being asleep when the duty commander informed her of the tragedy. “No matter how tragic and devastated you feel, we swing into action and we do what we need to do,” she said.
The Home Secretary announced that Cleveland Police would receive an extra £2 million to address the fallout, with 200 officers drafted from other forces. Fuller thanked the support but reiterated the need for ongoing funding, adding that the force requires an additional £20 million a year to hire more officers and tackle organised crime.
Office for National Statistics data show Cleveland Police faces the highest crime rate in England and Wales, with leading figures for burglary, sexual offences, violence with injury, and criminal damage and arson. The force has also seen the largest decline in officers since 2010, operating as if it were a rural force.
Fuller expressed hope that national policing reforms would bring Cleveland into the ranks of “big, strategic forces” with the resources to surge when needed. She also highlighted the complex social challenges in Middlesbrough, citing high deprivation, unemployment, drug addiction and mental health issues that fuel organised crime.
Since the crash, the force has arrested 87 individuals linked to organised crime gangs and secured 16 convictions over the past two years. Fuller denied that gangs control parts of Middlesbrough, describing the area as “complex.” She also acknowledged retaliatory incidents and a house fire that may be tied to criminal activity.
Fuller paid tribute to the fallen officers, PC Matthew Blades and PC Tom Clough, expressing deep grief for their families and colleagues.
The Home Office praised Cleveland Police’s robust response and confirmed that the force will receive up to £197.8 million in funding for the 2026/2027 financial year, a 3.7% increase, while committing to a review of the police funding formula to ensure fairness and responsiveness to local needs.
