Retiring Sergeant makes policing a family affair

Mon 8th February 2010 3.54PM

HE MAY have joined the police 37 years ago but one retiring sergeant has made sure law and order truly remains the family business - after being succeeded by his daughter. West Yorkshire Police Sergeant Chris Colligan, of Airedale and North Bradford Police, is set to retire this Christmas after 37 years as a Police officer but will have the family tradition carried on by daughter Lauren, who is a PC in Eccleshill. The officer who has served in Bradford, Keighley and IIkley, is set to finally hang up his helmet on December 24 and said he was delighted his youngest daughter had stepped into his shoes.

Chris joined the then Bradford City Police in August 1972 and is believed to be the final officer still working from the old city police which was merged into the newly created West Yorkshire Police in 1974. During a long career he joined colleagues in the hunt for the Yorkshire Ripper, and worked to help Police the miners strikes as well as the later Fire Brigade strike in the 1990s In an operations planning role Chris was also heavily involved in the early stages of the operation to manage the Bradford riots in 2001 and then later in the detailed work which followed to bring the city back to normality. He was also instrumental in setting up closer ties with West Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service to help the agencies work more closely together and reduce attacks on firefighters during the busy bonfire periods.

For the final 12 years of his career meanwhile, Chris worked as an operation planning Sergeant, helping direct major events particularly the Bradford mela, numerous Keighley carnivals and the recent Music in Myrtle events to success. Now looking forward to the future Chris said he had loved his near four decades in the service. He said: “I have thouroughly enjoyed my police career and have seen immense change in the technology available to us. “When I joined the service it was very much a male dominated organisation with many of the older officers having seen service in the Second world war. From a handful of female officers in specialised roles we are fast approaching a more representative proportion of female officers and this has brought positive benefits.

“Adding that he was sad to be leaving the Force the officer said he was very proud his daughter had followed in the family tradition. “During my Police service I have witnessed extraordinary events in Bradford, serious disorder, murders and even Bradford City reaching the premiership. My proudest moment was my Daughter, Lauren, joining the service. “However when texting was introduced as part of the new facility on Police radios I realised that the time had come to go, and it was best left to experts in the field like my daughter!” he said.