The ongoing criminal investigation into Northamptonshire’s suspended chief constable, Nick Adderley, has now expanded to include a second force, Staffordshire Police. Adderley, who served as the assistant chief constable in Staffordshire from 2015 to 2018, is facing allegations of fraud linked to the maintenance of police vehicles during his tenure.

The Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) officially notified Adderley and another former Staffordshire police officer of the investigation on February 20, serving them with misconduct papers. This development comes as Adderley is already scheduled to face a misconduct hearing in Northamptonshire in May for breaches of professional standards of honesty and integrity.

The initial suspension of Adderley from his role as the top cop in Northamptonshire occurred in October after discrepancies emerged regarding his military service. The police commissioner, Stephen Mold, initiated a referral to the IOPC after Adderley wore Falkland War medals to a national police award event, medals which were not rightfully his. Further scrutiny into Adderley’s career history and naval service revealed additional discrepancies.

In response to inquiries about Adderley’s criminal investigation with Staffordshire Police, the IOPC confirmed that two serving police officers are under criminal investigation for alleged fraud related to police vehicle maintenance. Both officers are currently suspended from their respective forces, and the investigation is ongoing under the direction of the IOPC.

Staffordshire Police declined to comment on the matter, citing the directed nature of the IOPC investigation.

Adderley’s naval career has been under scrutiny since the Falklands War medal incident, with doubts arising about his claimed rank and service record. Despite his assertion of achieving the rank of commander and serving for ten years from 1981 to 1992, official records have not corroborated these claims. Additionally, during the supposed period of naval service, Adderley was reportedly running a pub in the Wirral.

The misconduct hearing for Adderley in Northamptonshire, initially scheduled for last week, has been postponed to the end of May due to time constraints. Adderley, who retired from the force in 2022 but was rehired by Commissioner Mold, will continue to receive his salary until the hearing.

Despite attempts to contact Adderley for comment, no response has been received as of yet