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Brian Leonard Paddick, Baron Paddick (born 24 April 1958), is a British life peer and retired police officer. He was the Liberal Democrat candidate for the London mayoral elections of 2008 and of 2012, and until his retirement in May 2007 was a deputy assistant commissioner in the Metropolitan Police Service.[1]

Key Information

Paddick joined the Metropolitan Police in 1976. Rising through the ranks, he was appointed the officer in charge of the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) at Notting Hill in 1995, then returned to New Scotland Yard, first as Superintendent of the Personnel Department in 1996 and then as Chief Superintendent in 1997. In December 2000 he was appointed Police Commander for the London Borough of Lambeth, where he worked until 2002.

In the latter capacity, Paddick attracted controversy by instructing his police officers not to arrest or charge people found with cannabis so that they could focus on crimes that were affecting the quality of life in the borough to a greater extent.

In late 2002, the Crown Prosecution Service decided that no charges would be brought against him in relation to alleged cannabis possession;[2][3] in December 2003 Paddick and The Mail on Sunday settled legal proceedings brought by him, with the newspaper accepting that a story it had published was false (which had alleged he had used cannabis), apologising, and paying damages.[4][5]

In April 2005 Paddick took over management of territorial policing across all 32 London boroughs. During the investigation by the Independent Police Complaints Commission (IPCC) into the wrongful shooting of Jean Charles de Menezes at Stockwell Tube station on 22 July 2005, Paddick stated that a member of the private office team of Sir Ian Blair, Commissioner of the Metropolitan Police, had believed the wrong man had been targeted just six hours after the shooting. This allegation was contradicted by New Scotland Yard. On 28 March 2006, Paddick accepted a statement from the Metropolitan Police that it "did not intend to imply" a senior officer had misled the probe into the shooting and that "any misunderstanding is regretted".[6]

However, following the disagreement, Paddick was assigned the position of group director of information management at New Scotland Yard, which he considered a "non-job". He came to accept that his police career was over, and retired from the police force on 31 May 2007. In November 2007, it was announced that Paddick had been selected as the Liberal Democrat candidate for Mayor of London in the mayoral elections to be held on 1 May 2008. He came third, behind Boris Johnson and Ken Livingstone, winning 9.8 per cent of first preference votes.

Paddick was created a life peer in 2013, taking the title Baron Paddick, of Brixton in the London Borough of Lambeth,[7][8] sitting in the House of Lords for the Liberal Democrats. He became a non-affiliated member of the Lords upon his appointment as a non-executive advisor for the Metropolitan Police in 2023.

Early life

[edit]

Paddick was born on 24 April 1958 in Balham in London, England, and spent his early years in Mitcham and Tooting Bec.[9] He was educated at Bec Grammar School in Tooting Bec, and at Sutton Manor High School (now Sutton Grammar School), in Sutton.[10] He went on to take a Bachelor of Arts in Philosophy, Politics and Economics[11] at The Queen's College, Oxford and a Master of Business Administration at Warwick Business School, University of Warwick (1989–1990)[10] on police scholarships;[9] and also studied for a postgraduate Diploma in Policing and Applied Criminology at Fitzwilliam College, Cambridge.[9] When he was at Oxford, he was Captain of the University Swimming Team and Vice-Captain of his college's rugby team.[11]

He is the twin brother of J. H. Paddick and the grandson of a policeman[11] and the son of Anthony Henry J. Paddick and Evelyn Perkin. He is the second cousin once removed of actor and comedian Hugh Paddick.[citation needed]

Police career

[edit]

Paddick joined the Metropolitan Police Service in 1976, living in Highbury and Limehouse while he worked for four years as a Constable in Holloway. Rising through the ranks, he served as a response team officer, community officer, detective, and as a member of the Territorial Support Group (commonly referred to as the TSG or riot squad). Paddick was a sergeant on the front line during the 1981 Brixton riot,[12] an experience that shaped his attitudes about confrontational police action and strengthened his belief in community policing.[13] He was appointed Inspector in Fulham in 1983, Chief Inspector of the Personnel Department of New Scotland Yard in 1986, a staff officer in 1991, and Chief Inspector in Brixton in 1993.[10] During this period, he also worked in Deptford, Lewisham, Thornton Heath (where his brother was the local vicar) and Notting Hill while living in Sutton, Pimlico and Westminster, and for a while outside London.[9] In 1995, Paddick became the officer in charge of the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) at Notting Hill and was responsible for policing the Notting Hill Carnival.[10]

New Scotland Yard, London

Paddick returned to New Scotland Yard, first as Superintendent of the Personnel Department in 1996 and then as Chief Superintendent in 1997.[10] He then served as Borough Commander for Merton for two and a half years (1997–1999), responsible for policing Wimbledon, Mitcham and Merton. After attending the Police Staff College in 2000, in December 2000 he was appointed Police Commander for the London Borough of Lambeth where he worked until 2002,[10] fulfilling his ambition of becoming head of policing in Brixton. At Lambeth he had direct responsibility for 940 police officers and 230 support staff, and an annual budget of £37 million.[9]

After a stint in the Specialist Crime Directorate, which deals with serious cases such as murder, kidnap and fraud, Paddick returned to borough-based policing, overseeing the northwest London boroughs of Barnet, Brent, Camden, Ealing, Hammersmith and Fulham, Harrow, Hillingdon, and Islington between 2002 and 2003. He was also responsible for youth and community issues including Police Community Support Officers and police volunteers across the whole of London.[9]

In November 2003 Paddick was promoted to Deputy Assistant Commissioner, and in April 2005 he took over management of Territorial Policing across all 32 London boroughs, with responsibility for 20,000 police officers and support staff. He was accountable for reducing "volume crime" in London (all offences up to and including rape in terms of seriousness) and increasing the number of offenders brought to justice. He was the national lead for the police service on disability and mental health issues for a year and a half. He was also in the media spotlight as the senior Metropolitan Police Service spokesman for the Funeral of Diana, Princess of Wales and after the 7 July 2005 London bombings.[9]

Following a widely publicised disagreement with Sir Ian Blair, the Commissioner of the Metropolitan Police, over the wrongful shooting of Jean Charles de Menezes at Stockwell Tube station on 22 July 2005, Paddick was assigned the position of group director of information management, which he considered a "non-job". Claiming that the Home Office had intervened for political reasons to ensure that Blair would not have to resign over the incident as it had occurred in the aftermath of 21 July 2005 London bombings, Paddick says he came to accept that his police career was over and that he would never achieve his goal of becoming a chief constable.[14]

Paddick retired from the police force on 31 May 2007. He is currently a Visiting Fellow of Ashridge Business School near Berkhamsted in Hertfordshire, where he lectures on leadership, change management and diversity.[9]

Press controversy

[edit]

In 2001, as Commander for the London Borough of Lambeth, Paddick started to make postings on London web discussion forum Urban75. According to Paddick's autobiography, he had initially contacted Urban75 as part of an Internet campaign against the Brixton-based Movement For Justice By Any Means Necessary (MFJ), which was campaigning for justice after the police killing of local Derek Bennett.[15] He also attacked MFJ chairman Alex Owolade who was subsequently sacked from his employment with Lambeth London Borough Council.[16]

At around this time, the national press also began coverage of the pilot cannabis programme in Brixton where officers were instructed not to arrest or charge people who were found to be in possession of cannabis. They were instead to issue on-the-spot warnings and confiscate the drugs. Although Paddick is credited with the idea, the pilot programme was sanctioned by the Commissioner of Police of the Metropolis, Sir John Stevens.

Paddick argued that the policy allowed his officers to deal with cannabis quickly and informally, freeing them to concentrate on heroin and crack cocaine offences, as well as other offences such as street robbery and burglary, which he and others felt were affecting the quality of life in Lambeth to a greater extent. "[P]olice officers said they weren't prepared any longer to drop cannabis down the drain because one of their colleagues had been arrested by internal investigators apparently for doing just that. They were going to arrest everybody they found even with the smallest amount of cannabis. I couldn't have allowed that to happen. They would have been doing nothing else."[14]

Critics accused him of being soft on drugs, and the policy became a source of public controversy and debate. The situation worsened when The Mail on Sunday published a false story by his former partner, James Renolleau, that Commander Paddick had used cannabis himself. They also highlighted his homosexuality as a matter of concern, and claimed he was an anarchist based on a comment he had made on Urban75 in January 2002.[17] In fact, he had written that "the concept of anarchy has always appealed to me", but that he was "not sure everyone would behave well if there were no laws and no system."[18] [19]

Following the controversy, Paddick was transferred to an intelligence position and the allegations were investigated by the Crown Prosecution Service. His transfer led to public rallies in Lambeth in his support. The CPS decided in late 2002 that no charges would be brought. In November 2003, Paddick was promoted to Deputy Assistant Commissioner for Territorial Policing. In a December 2003 out-of-court settlement, the Mail on Sunday accepted that their story was false, apologised, and paid damages.[4][20]

The situation did, however, encourage the British government to re-evaluate its policies with regard to drugs, and reclassifying cannabis from a class B to a class C drug was suggested. Subsequently, the law was altered in February 2004.[21]

In September 2007 Paddick commented: "I always felt like a fish out of water in the police, not just on gay issues but generally. I was a very counter-cultural senior officer. I'm very non-hierarchical and got into trouble for insisting on people calling me by my first name. I was trying to effect the most difficult change there is in an organisation, which is a change of culture – to try to make it more liberal, more understanding of difference."[14]

Jean Charles de Menezes

[edit]

After the 21 July 2005 London bombings and the subsequent police shooting of Jean Charles de Menezes on 22 July 2005 at the Stockwell Tube station in London, Paddick met Stockwell community leaders. Kate Hoey, Member of Parliament for Vauxhall which covers the area, had requested the meeting to help reassure local residents.

Paddick was quoted by the BBC as stating, "It was a very calm meeting. People were very understanding of the circumstances that these officers found themselves in. We expressed our sympathy to the family of the person who was tragically killed. It was a very measured meeting, but a very positive meeting." He would not promise that a similar tragedy would never happen again, but he stated it was not likely.[22]

In March 2006 it was revealed that Paddick had consulted libel lawyers in connection with statements issued by Scotland Yard. In verbal and written statements to the Independent Police Complaints Commission (IPCC) on their investigations into the shooting of Jean Charles de Menezes, he had stated that a member of the Commissioner of the Metropolitan Police Sir Ian Blair's private office team believed the wrong man had been targeted just six hours after the shooting. This was contrary to statements made at the time.

When this allegation became public following an unauthorised disclosure, Scotland Yard issued a statement claiming that the officer alleged to have believed this [Paddick] "has categorically denied this in his interview with, and statement to, the IPCC investigators". The statement continued that they "were satisfied that whatever the reasons for this suggestion being made, it is simply not true". Paddick's interpretation of this statement was that it accused him of lying.[23]

On 28 March 2006, Paddick accepted a statement from the Metropolitan Police that it "did not intend to imply" a senior officer had misled the probe into the shooting of Jean Charles de Menezes. In a statement, the Metropolitan Police said "any misunderstanding is regretted" and that Paddick had accepted its "clarification" and considered the matter closed.[6]

In a lengthy interview with Paddick published in The Daily Telegraph on 17 November 2007 detailing his thinking on becoming Mayor of London, he made a revealing comment possibly connected with difficulties that have arisen because of the de Menezes killing: "Policing is a dangerous job, we should trust the professional judgement of officers on the front line. We shouldn't prosecute them or their bosses if they decide to put their lives on the line for the public."[24] In addition, on 26 November 2007 in The Independent Paddick was asked if Commissioner Ian Blair should have resigned over the de Menezes case. His response was: "Yes. The public allows the police to use force on the understanding that someone will be held to account if something goes wrong. An innocent man was killed by the police and in the absence of any individual officer being held to account, the person at the top should take responsibility."[25]

Liberal Democrat candidate for Mayor of London

[edit]
Paddick speaking in City Hall after the results of the London mayoral election had been announced, 3 May 2008

In August 2006, it was reported by The Observer's "Pendennis" column that Paddick was considering seeking selection as the Liberal Democrats' candidate for Mayor of London in the mayoral elections to be held in 2008.[26] This was confirmed a year later by the BBC.[27] He received an endorsement from Lynne Featherstone MP, a former member of the London Assembly, on her blog.[28]

On 2 September 2007, Paddick informed Pink News of some of his priorities if elected mayor. On illegal drugs, he reiterated that they are "dangerous and harmful and it is better if people live without them", but that he had a "realistic approach" to enforcement and would not be afraid of adopting a "radical solution if it's fully thought through, if it's workable, affordable and gets the right result". He promised to regulate the timings of London's buses and to apply the London congestion charge in a more sophisticated manner that differentiated wealthy chauffeur-driven chief executives from delivery drivers. As regards the 2012 Summer Olympics to be held in London, he pledged to ensure that "the best possible show" would be staged with "value for money for every single pound spent".[29] In addition, in a leaflet released on his campaign website on 10 September, he pledged to "put more police officers, fully trained, equipped and with the necessary powers out on the street, dealing with violent gun and knife crime", to take the lead in tackling climate change and minimising the impact on the environment by powering the London Underground with renewable energy, and to provide the right environment for business without interfering in businesses.[30]

On 13 November 2007, it was announced that Paddick had been selected as the Liberal Democrat candidate for Mayor of London.[31] He won 73% of the first preference votes during the selection contest.[32] Paddick joined, among others, Ken Livingstone as the Labour candidate and Conservative Party candidate Boris Johnson. However, a poll conducted by The Guardian and ICM published on 3 April 2008 found that Paddick was the first choice of only 10% of voters. He therefore had little chance of winning, as 42% supported Johnson and 41% Livingstone.[33] The poll was borne out by the results of the elections on 1 May 2008. On 3 May it was announced that Boris Johnson had been elected. Paddick was in third place behind Ken Livingstone, with 9.8% (236,685 out of 2,415,958) of the first preference votes.[34]

Paddick on a float at the London Gay Pride parade on 30 June 2007 with, from his right, actor John Barrowman and Barrowman's partner Scott Gill

Liberal Democrat candidate for Mayor of London election 2012

[edit]

On Thursday 16 June 2011, it was reported that Paddick had entered nomination papers to stand once again for the Liberal Democrats in the 2012 London mayoral elections. On Friday 2 September he was selected as the Liberal Democrat candidate.[35]

On election day itself, Paddick won 91,774 or 4.16% of the first preference votes, behind eventual winner Boris Johnson for the Conservatives, former mayor Ken Livingstone for Labour, and Greens candidate Jenny Jones. He lost almost half of his support compared to 2008, mainly attributed to the performance of the coalition government in Westminster and the popularity levels of the Liberal Democrats on a national scale.

House of Lords activities

[edit]

Having been elevated to the House of Lords on 16 September 2013, he led a debate on the public trust of police, on 28 November 2013.[36]

In the 2016 Autumn Party Convention, Lord Paddick saw the Liberty and Security Policy Paper produced by the working party he chaired accepted by the convention. This paper, while recognising the danger of terrorism, took issue with the Investigatory Powers Bill and the Counter-Extremism and Safeguarding Bill, rejecting "the idea that indiscriminate monitoring or limiting of legal free speech enhances security."[37]

In October 2023, Lord Paddick withdrew from Liberal Democrat whip following his appointment as a non-executive advisor with the Metropolitan Police. He will sit as a non-affiliated member for the duration of the appointment.[38]

Personal life

[edit]

Since childhood, Paddick has known he was gay, but between 1983 and 1988 he was married to Mary Stone in what he called "a genuine attempt to live as a straight man" – "It's what my faith as a Christian expected of me. It's what my parents expected of me. It's what the police service expected of me. Mary was a very beautiful and charming woman. It was a genuine attempt to try and deny my sexuality and to 'do the right thing'."[1] According to Paddick, it was "a fairly conventional marriage" and his former wife said it was "a wonderful marriage". She did not know he was gay. He struggled with his sexuality until towards the end of his marriage in 1988: "I learned the lesson about being yourself before that, and being open about my sexuality was the last piece in the jigsaw. I wasn't open about my sexuality until I was a commander."[14] A November 2003 profile in The Guardian noted: "Mr Paddick is relaxed enough to laugh at himself and told a gay magazine: 'My last staff officer got promoted and went to royalty protection. In his leaving card I wrote, "Same job, different Queen".'"[10] Paddick currently lives in Vauxhall, London. He lived there previously with Petter Belsvik,[39] a civil engineer from Oslo, Norway; they met in a bar while on holiday in Ibiza.[9][1] They married in Oslo, same-sex marriage in Norway being legalised 8 days before, on 9 January 2009.[40] Belsvik died at the end of February 2023.[41]

Paddick was a contestant on the eighth series of the ITV1 reality television show I'm a Celebrity... Get Me Out of Here!, which began its broadcast on 16 November 2008.[42] On 1 December 2008, he became the sixth celebrity to be voted off the show. Interviewed by the show's hosts Ant & Dec after leaving the jungle, he explained his reasons for participating: "For a long time I've been doing serious stuff. Thirty years in the police and running for mayor. It's all bad news that they want me to comment on. So I thought why not come and do something trivial. ... It's the hardest thing I've ever done in my life, anything after this is a breeze."[43]

In 2008, Paddick was ranked number 101 in the annual Pink List of influential gay and lesbian people in Britain published by The Independent on Sunday,[44] down from number 83 in 2007.[45]

In 2010, Paddick appeared on Channel 4's alternative election night special of Come Dine with Me alongside Edwina Currie, Rod Liddle and Derek Hatton.

Speaking about his marriage in Norway as part of the 2010 Liberal Democrat debate about equal marriage for gay people, Paddick said: "The real impact of [marriage rather than a civil partnership], the symbolism of it, the importance of it, didn't really strike me until we stood in front of the judge in the courthouse in Oslo, and she said ... we're here today to witness the marriage of Brian and Petter. And that was an intensely moving experience. We really feel, my husband and I, that we are really equal because we are married."[46]

In July 2018, Paddick revealed that he was a participant in the PrEP[47] (Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis) medication trials being carried out at the time by the NHS in England. The medication is used to prevent HIV-negative people from acquiring HIV.

References

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Further reading

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Brian Paddick, Baron Paddick

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Brian Leonard Paddick, Baron Paddick (born 24 April 1958), is a British retired and in the . Paddick served in the from 1976 until his retirement on 31 May 2007 as a Deputy Assistant Commissioner. During his tenure as borough commander for from 2000 to 2002, he introduced a pilot scheme issuing warnings for possession of small amounts of rather than arrests, aiming to redirect police resources toward serious crimes like and dealing; this approach resulted in increased arrests for hard drugs and a reported drop in , though it drew criticism from conservative factions within policing and government. Entering politics with the Liberal Democrats, Paddick stood as their candidate for in the and elections, emphasizing and liberal drug policies. In 2013, he was created a as Paddick of Brixton in the London Borough of Lambeth and sat as a Liberal Democrat until October 2023, when he resigned from the party group to take up a non-executive advisory role with the ; he now sits as a non-affiliated peer.

Early life and education

Family background and upbringing

Brian Paddick was born on 24 April 1958 in , . He was the son of a father who had served as a major in the Royal Tank Regiment during the Second World War before working as a plastics salesman for , and a mother employed as a secretary at a who later advanced to a senior role there. Paddick spent his early years in south London locales including Mitcham, Tooting, and Sutton. As the grandson of a Metropolitan Police constable, he grew up in a household connected to law enforcement traditions. From childhood, Paddick recognized his homosexuality, an awareness that intensified personal torment during adolescence amid societal norms of the era.

Formal education and early influences

Paddick was born on 24 April 1958 in , , and raised in the nearby areas of , , and Sutton. He attended in , , followed by Sutton Manor High School in Sutton, , completing his in the mid-1970s. After leaving school, Paddick joined the Service as a in 1976, initially serving in Holloway, . During his early policing career, he received a police scholarship to pursue higher education, taking a break from service to study Politics, Philosophy and Economics (PPE) at Queen's College, Oxford, where he graduated with a first-class honours degree in the early 1980s. This academic interlude, combined with his practical experience in , marked a pivotal shift, as Paddick later reflected that his true intellectual development occurred post-school through police work and university studies rather than formal schooling alone. Paddick furthered his qualifications with a (MBA) with distinction from between 1990 and 1992, and a in from the . These advanced studies influenced his approach to policing leadership, emphasizing analytical and managerial skills amid rapid promotions, including to inspector by age 24. Early personal realizations, such as his childhood awareness of his —which he initially suppressed through a five-year in the —also shaped his , informing later for liberal reforms in and personal freedoms.

Police career

Entry and progression in the Metropolitan Police

Brian Paddick joined the Service in 1976 as a at the age of 18. By 1980, he had been promoted to sergeant and was stationed in , where he served on the front line during the 1981 riots. Paddick continued his advancement while pursuing higher education, attaining the rank of by 1983 as a mature student reading , philosophy, and economics at the . He rose steadily through the ranks over the subsequent decades, reaching the position of commander by late 2000. Following a period in borough-based policing in northwest , Paddick was appointed acting deputy assistant commissioner in November 2003. This promotion was confirmed in January 2004, placing him in charge of territorial policing operations across the force. At that time, his elevation marked him as the highest-ranking openly gay officer in British policing history.

Lambeth borough command and cannabis experiment

In 2001, Brian Paddick served as borough commander for within the Service, a role he held until 2002. Facing persistent challenges from drug-related offenses, including , , and associated street robberies, Paddick prioritized reallocating police resources away from low-level possession to higher-priority crimes. This approach was sanctioned by Commissioner Sir John Stevens and launched as the Lambeth Cannabis Warning Pilot Scheme on 4 July 2001, running until 31 July 2002. Under the scheme, officers encountered with individuals possessing small quantities of for personal use issued on-the-street warnings and confiscated the drug, bypassing formal and prosecution. Adults who admitted the offense received formal warnings, while non-admitters and juveniles were given informal warnings; the policy applied discretionarily to avoid criminalizing minor users, particularly youth, and to build community trust. Paddick argued this reflected public priorities, as evidenced by consultations showing strong local support for focusing on class A drugs over , which he viewed as less harmful in context. The pilot yielded measurable operational shifts: warnings issued rose 110% to 1,390 compared to 661 arrests in the prior equivalent period, freeing approximately 4,170 officer hours annually—equivalent to 2.75 full-time officers—and enabling a 19% increase in class A enforcement interventions. Paddick reported in halved during the scheme, with rates continuing to decline locally while rising elsewhere in ; a poll indicated 83% public approval, including over 80% among ethnic minority groups, and no evidence of increased -related incidents in schools or influx of external users. An econometric evaluation of confirmed police reallocation toward non- offenses contributed to an overall reduction in crime rates, with no detected rise in use. Despite these results, the policy provoked significant controversy, drawing accusations of lax enforcement and personal attacks on Paddick, including a "torrent of abuse" from critics who claimed it undermined and encouraged use. Paddick countered that it was not legalization but targeted , refuting claims of gateway effects or dealer migration with showing fewer non-resident interventions. The same study noting crime reductions also found potential welfare costs, as Lambeth house prices underperformed comparable areas, suggesting diminished resident perceptions of safety. The scheme's extension beyond Paddick's tenure highlighted its influence, though it fueled broader debates on classification ahead of national reclassification to class C in 2004.

Jean Charles de Menezes shooting response

Brian Paddick, serving as Deputy Assistant Commissioner for Territorial Policing on 22 July 2005, participated in high-level discussions at New Scotland Yard following the fatal shooting of Jean Charles de Menezes, an unarmed Brazilian electrician mistakenly identified as a suspect in , . The incident occurred hours after failed bombing attempts linked to the 7 July attacks, with specialist firearms officers discharging seven shots at close range inside an Underground train, killing de Menezes at 10:07 BST. Paddick later stated that by approximately 13:30 BST, operational logs indicated de Menezes had entered the block of flats under surveillance without challenge, was not wearing heavy clothing suggestive of a bomb vest despite hot weather, and had boarded a bus while being tailed, behaviors inconsistent with an imminent suicide bomber. In testimony to the Independent Police Complaints Commission (IPCC) and the 2008 coroner's inquest, Paddick disputed the timeline presented by Commissioner Sir , asserting that Blair's private secretary had verbally confirmed to him around 15:30 BST that the shooting targeted an innocent man, contradicting Blair's public claim that the mistake was only realized the following morning. Paddick argued this early internal recognition was withheld from the public and media to manage the narrative, with Blair's office instructing briefings to maintain that de Menezes was "directly linked" to the bombers until CCTV evidence emerged. The IPCC's 2007 Stockwell Two report corroborated elements of Paddick's account, noting discrepancies in senior officers' recollections and criticizing the command structure for poor communication, though it did not conclusively resolve the knowledge timeline dispute. Paddick specifically faulted the operation's gold command for issuing ambiguous instructions to firearms teams, testifying that Dick's radio directive to "find some opportunity" for an or lacked clarity on de Menezes' level, potentially escalating to lethal force without sufficient verification. He advocated for greater , warning that evasive responses eroded public trust in policing post-7/7, and faced internal repercussions including leaked personal allegations and a probe over purported information disclosure, from which he was ultimately cleared in 2007. His interventions highlighted systemic flaws in counter-terrorism protocols, including over-reliance on flawed and inadequate debriefing, amid the Metropolitan Police's subsequent £3.2 million compensation payout to de Menezes' family and the 2008 jury's verdict of .

Final years, media scrutiny, and retirement

Following the fatal shooting of Jean Charles de Menezes on 22 July 2005, Paddick, as Deputy Assistant Commissioner for Territorial Policing in , publicly criticized the 's operation, stating that it had "gone wrong from the start" due to failures in command structure and communication, and attributing ultimate responsibility to senior leadership rather than frontline officers. This position conflicted with statements from Commissioner Sir , who initially claimed de Menezes had been challenged and refused to stop, prompting an internal review that accused Paddick of undermining the force's position ahead of the coroner's . Consequently, Paddick was removed from operational duties and reassigned to non-frontline roles, including media strategy, which he later described as effective sidelining by superiors. Media scrutiny escalated during this period, focusing on Paddick's as Britain's most senior openly , including revived allegations from a 2002 tabloid exposé by his former partner, James Henderson, who claimed Paddick had permitted use in their home—a charge that had previously led to his transfer from command and an internal investigation clearing him of misconduct but damaging his standing. Coverage portrayed Paddick as a divisive figure, with outlets highlighting his advocacy for softer drug policies and as evidence of leniency, while his drew sensationalist attention amid broader debates on police culture and post-7/7 bombings. Paddick maintained that such reporting distorted his professional record and contributed to a hostile internal environment, though no formal disciplinary action followed the Menezes comments. On 26 April 2007, at age 49, Paddick announced his retirement from the , effective 31 May 2007, after 30 years of service, which qualified him for a full from his £125,000 annual as Deputy Assistant Commissioner. He cited the culmination of controversies, including the Menezes fallout and prior media intrusions, as rendering his continued operational role untenable, while expressing intent to transition to public speaking, writing a on experiences, and exploring opportunities in or . The departure marked the end of his police tenure without further promotions, amid perceptions within the force of irreconcilable tensions with leadership over accountability and reform.

Political involvement

Initial Liberal Democrat alignment and 2008 mayoral bid

Following his retirement from the Metropolitan Police in May 2007, Paddick shifted toward political involvement with the Liberal Democrats, drawn by the party's advocacy for civil liberties and reforms in criminal justice that echoed his own experiences in policing, including the deprioritization of cannabis possession and critiques of institutional accountability. By September 2007, he had been shortlisted as a potential candidate for the London mayoral election, signaling his initial alignment with the party ahead of formal selection. On 13 November 2007, Paddick was officially selected as the Liberal Democrats' candidate for after securing a majority in a of the party's members, positioning him to challenge Conservative and Labour incumbent . His campaign emphasized practical improvements in public safety through more effective, community-focused policing rather than increased officer numbers, alongside pledges to enhance transport reliability and environmental measures such as promoting . Paddick also highlighted his independence from political machines, leveraging his police background to argue for restoring public trust in institutions amid scandals like the Jean Charles de Menezes shooting. The election occurred on 1 May 2008 under a supplementary vote system, where Paddick finished third in first-preference votes but notably attracted the highest number of second-preference transfers among trailing candidates, underscoring appeal among voters seeking alternatives to the main contenders. Despite the loss, the bid elevated his profile within Liberal Democrat circles, laying groundwork for future political endeavors while exposing tensions over party strategy in a polarized race dominated by Johnson and Livingstone.

2012 London mayoral campaign

Paddick was selected as the Liberal Democrat candidate for the , held on 3 May 2012, marking his second attempt at the office after an unsuccessful bid in 2008. Leveraging his extensive experience as a former deputy assistant commissioner in the , Paddick positioned his campaign around reforming policing practices, emphasizing openness, accountability, and community involvement to restore public trust following events like the 2011 London riots. In his , launched on 10 April 2012, Paddick pledged to devolve policing plans to individual neighborhoods, allowing residents and businesses to contribute to priorities and performance targets for local officers. He committed to tackling institutional issues within the , including "endemic" racism, by appointing an independent commissioner for standards and promoting transparency to rebuild confidence eroded by past scandals. On , he promised to build 360,000 affordable homes on over 10 years to address 's shortage. Additional proposals included creating hubs to prevent , introducing one-hour bus tickets with reduced early morning and evening fares, and achieving carbon-neutral status for by 2030 through enhanced green initiatives. The campaign occurred amid declining popularity for the Liberal Democrats due to their role with the Conservatives, which Paddick sought to counter by highlighting party differences on issues like and local empowerment. remained a central battleground, with Paddick advocating preventive measures over reactive policing, drawing on his professional background to critique rivals' approaches. Paddick received 91,774 first-preference votes, equating to 4.16% of the total, placing fourth behind (Conservative), (Labour), and Jenny Jones (Green). Under the supplementary vote system, his votes were eliminated after the first round, contributing to the narrower margin between Johnson and Livingstone in the runoff.

Elevation to the House of Lords

On 1 August 2013, Prime Minister announced the creation of 30 new ages, including Brian Paddick nominated by Liberal Democrat leader Nick Clegg as a working peer to contribute his expertise as a former senior police officer. Paddick, who had previously served as the Liberal Democrats' candidate for in 2008 and 2012, was appointed to strengthen the party's representation in the on matters of home affairs and policing. Paddick was created a with the title Baron Paddick, of in the London Borough of , effective from the announcement as part of the coalition government's appointments. He took his seat in the following formal introduction on 28 October 2013, assuming the style The Lord Paddick and aligning with the Liberal Democrat group. The elevation drew limited specific commentary beyond general critiques of lists favoring party loyalists and donors, though Paddick's was framed around his professional background rather than financial contributions. As a crossbench-eligible but party-affiliated peer, his appointment reflected the Liberal Democrats' strategy to bolster expertise in security and justice policy during the 2010-2015 coalition period.

Parliamentary activities

Key contributions on home affairs and policing

As Liberal Democrats' spokesperson for Home Affairs in the , Lord Paddick has scrutinised government legislation on policing, emphasising accountability, , and evidence-based reforms drawn from his experience as a former Deputy Assistant Commissioner in the . He led a on public trust in policing, highlighting erosion of confidence following scandals like and , and called for structural changes to restore legitimacy through transparent leadership selection and independent oversight. In the 2016 Policing and Crime Bill, Paddick tabled and supported amendments to protect suspects' rights, including Amendment 187 for judicially overseen pre-charge in sexual offence investigations to counter a , referencing the Henriques report on cases like where innocents suffered reputational harm without trial. He also backed measures requiring assessments of pilot schemes' disproportionate ethnic impacts and nationality-based recruitment reporting, arguing these ensured equitable policing practices. Paddick has repeatedly challenged expansions of police powers, opposing suspicionless stop-and-search provisions in the 2022 Public Order Bill as enabling arbitrary targeting of protesters with vague "potentially endless" offence lists, and urging their removal to uphold proportionality. In 2021 and 2025 Lords questions, he pressed for safeguards against disproportionate use against minorities, noting stop-and-search's value in weapon recovery but warning of its counterproductive erosion of community trust when over-applied. During scrutiny of the Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Bill (2021-2022), Paddick proposed amendments to integrate special constables fully into police service definitions for better operational coherence, akin to Scottish models, and opposed clauses like serious violence reduction orders for lacking evidence of efficacy in reducing crime. In a 2024 Police Reform debate, he critiqued chronic underfunding leading to officer reductions—citing year-on-year declines under prior settlements—and advocated resourcing reforms to prioritise frontline territorial policing over administrative bloat. His interventions consistently prioritise empirical scrutiny of police efficacy, warning that unchecked powers risk alienating communities without commensurate crime reductions.

Positions on surveillance, public order, and

Lord Paddick has advocated for restrictions on state surveillance powers, particularly criticizing indiscriminate bulk collection of personal data as potentially illegal under law. In 2017, as part of the Liberal Democrats' commitments, he highlighted the need to "roll back" such powers enacted by the , arguing that targeted oversight and proportionality were essential to balance security with . Despite these reservations, Paddick has defended specific measures when framed as threats to criminals rather than broad intrusions on . In a 2014 opinion piece, he countered claims that emergency laws granted "sweeping powers," asserting that they primarily aided in combating without unduly compromising for the law-abiding public. He has also endorsed enhanced oversight mechanisms, such as a and Oversight Board modeled on the U.S. system, following a 2014 ruling that deemed certain UK practices excessive. On live facial recognition technology, Paddick's stance evolved toward pragmatic support for its deployment by police to enhance public safety. In 2020, he participated in discussions questioning its safeguards during trials by the . By August 2025, however, he publicly affirmed that such technology, when used responsibly—such as at events like —could reduce crime rates and protect communities, drawing on his experience as a former senior officer to argue it outweighed risks in high-threat contexts. In debates on public order legislation, Paddick has prioritized civil liberties, opposing expansions of police authority that could suppress protests without adequate thresholds for "serious disruption." During the 2023 Public Order Bill proceedings in the House of Lords, he backed amendments to define and limit powers like pre-emptive protest bans and noise-related restrictions, warning that they risked eroding public confidence in policing amid existing scandals. He similarly critiqued the 2022 Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Act for insufficient protections against overreach in managing demonstrations, emphasizing the need for proportionality given his expertise in public order command roles. These positions reflect a consistent thread in his parliamentary contributions, where he urges evidence-based limits on state powers to prevent mission creep while acknowledging policing's role in maintaining order.

Resignations, whip withdrawal, and advisory roles

In June 2017, Paddick resigned as the Liberal Democrats' home affairs spokesman in the House of Lords, expressing concerns over party leader Tim Farron's views on issues including the morality of gay sex and abortion, which had been raised during the general election campaign. Paddick, the UK's first openly gay senior police officer, stated that these positions conflicted with the party's commitment to equality and his personal experiences, though Farron had clarified his beliefs did not influence policy. The resignation occurred shortly after Farron's election defeat and amid internal party scrutiny, but Paddick remained a Liberal Democrat peer without further disciplinary action. On 10 October 2023, Paddick withdrew the Liberal Democrat whip in the House of Lords following his appointment as a non-executive advisor to the Metropolitan Police Service, a role intended to provide independent oversight on operational and strategic matters. This step complied with House of Lords rules on registering outside interests and avoiding perceived conflicts, given his prior senior role in the force until 2007 and ongoing parliamentary scrutiny of policing. As a result, he sat as a non-affiliated peer, retaining membership in the Liberal Democrats but suspending party affiliation in the chamber to maintain impartiality in his advisory capacity. The advisory position drew on Paddick's expertise in police reform and accountability, though it limited his active participation in Liberal Democrat frontbench activities during tenure.

Policy stances and public advocacy

Criminal justice and drugs reform

As commander of the borough in the from 2000 to 2002, Paddick implemented a pilot scheme under which officers issued formal warnings rather than arrests or prosecutions for possession of small amounts of , aiming to redirect resources toward combating harder drugs such as and , which were prioritized based on local crime data showing them linked to street robberies and violence. The policy, announced on 25 July 2001, processed over 1,500 warnings in its first year, correlating with a reported 30% drop in street robberies in during that period, though causation was debated amid broader policing efforts. Paddick defended the approach empirically, arguing that offenses consumed disproportionate police time—up to 80% in some shifts—without addressing serious harms, and that the scheme freed officers for high-priority interventions; however, it drew internal criticism, including a formal rebuke from Commissioner Sir John Stevens for undermining national drug enforcement strategy. The experiment influenced subsequent policy, contributing to the UK government's 2004 reclassification of from Class B to Class C, which effectively decriminalized possession for personal use until its reversal to Class B in 2009 amid rising use concerns. Paddick has consistently advocated for such prioritization, stating in May 2025 that monitoring low-level use diverts scarce resources from and that data from his pilot demonstrated no increase in -related harms while improving focus on class A drugs. In his 2012 mayoral campaign as a Liberal Democrat candidate, he proposed extending a "softly-softly" policy borough-wide, emphasizing evidence that strict enforcement failed to reduce use— prevalence remained stable at around 6-8% of adults from 2001 to 2011 per British Crime Survey data—while supporting regulated legalization to undermine black-market violence associated with . Beyond drugs, Paddick has critiqued punitive models, favoring restorative approaches over incarceration; in campaign materials, he argued that s primarily teach , with reoffending rates exceeding 45% within a year of release per statistics, and called for expanded community reparations where offenders directly compensate victims, such as through labor or financial restitution, to foster without expanding populations that stood at over 85,000 in by 2012. This stance aligned with Liberal Democrat platforms emphasizing evidence-based sentencing reductions for non-violent offenses, though Paddick maintained that violent and required robust enforcement, drawing from his operational experience where directly impacted clearance rates for serious offenses. His positions reflect a utilitarian prioritizing outcomes—lower victimization through targeted policing—over uniform , substantiated by pilot data showing sustained or improved public confidence in policing during the scheme.

Critiques of police practices and accountability

Paddick, during his tenure as borough commander in Lambeth from 2000 to 2002, implemented a pilot scheme issuing warnings rather than arrests for low-level cannabis possession, arguing that rigid enforcement diverted resources from serious crime and eroded community trust, particularly in areas like Brixton with histories of tension over policing. The initiative, which ran from July 2001 to July 2002, correlated with reported declines in street crime in the area, though critics within the Metropolitan Police contested its efficacy and accused Paddick of undermining discipline. He defended the approach as evidence-based, prioritizing intelligence-led policing over blanket possession arrests, which he viewed as counterproductive for accountability in resource allocation. Following the 2005 shooting of Jean Charles de Menezes, an innocent Brazilian electrician mistaken for a suicide bomber, Paddick publicly criticized the Metropolitan Police's operational instructions as ambiguous and prone to misinterpretation, testifying at the that orders from Assistant Commissioner to "in the best case scenario" wait for confirmation before shooting created confusion among firearms officers. He argued this reflected broader failures in command accountability during high-pressure counter-terrorism operations, where post-incident narratives initially downplayed errors to protect institutional reputation. Paddick's intervention highlighted his view that senior officers often prioritized internal solidarity over transparent scrutiny, a pattern he observed in defending flawed decisions. Paddick has consistently critiqued stop-and-search practices for disproportionately targeting and Asian youth without sufficient intelligence basis, advocating in for "going large" on reforming the tactic to focus on rather than ethnic profiling, which he linked to post-Macpherson Report hesitancy among officers fearing accusations. He attributed a subsequent drop in usage—from peaks in the early to lower levels by —to leadership "abdication," enabling rises in knife crime as criminals perceived reduced risk. In parliamentary contributions, such as during the 2021-2022 Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Bill debates, he opposed expansions of these powers without enhanced recording and oversight, warning they entrenched unaccountable discretion. On institutional culture, Paddick described the Metropolitan Police as requiring gay, female, and black officers to "act like straight white men" to succeed, equating this conformity pressure to institutional racism identified in the 1999 Macpherson Report. He alleged in 2012 that a 2004 internal report warning of systemic discrimination against black suspects was buried to avoid reputational damage, echoing claims of suppressed data on rape victim handling where press officers allegedly prioritized media silence over victim support. Drawing from 30 years' service, he recounted senior leaders repeatedly shielding "violent, racist" officers from discipline, undermining public accountability and perpetuating cycles of misconduct. In response to the 2011 London riots, Paddick faulted the police for delayed mobilization and over-reliance on public order tactics rather than preventive local engagement, arguing that eroded trust—exemplified by events like the Tottenham Duggan shooting—necessitated reformed accountability structures to restore legitimacy. As a peer since 2013, he has pressed for multi-agency prevention over punitive expansions in bills like the Police Reform and Social Responsibility Act 2011, emphasizing empirical review of practices to avoid bias-driven failures.

Broader social and security issues

Paddick has consistently emphasized the need for adequate resourcing of police and security services to address terrorism threats, criticizing post-2010 reductions in officer numbers that diminished resilience against extremism. He has expressed utmost respect for the dedication of these agencies, asserting their confidence in countering threats despite strains from events like COVID-19 lockdowns and heightened alert levels, while advocating for community-based intelligence through trusted local policing. In debates on specific attacks, such as those in 2017, he praised frontline responders for maintaining public safety amid terrorism risks. Regarding counter-extremism strategies, Paddick initially described the government's Prevent programme as "absolutely fundamental" to combating during his police career, but as a Liberal Democrat peer, he later called for its replacement with a community-led initiative to address perceptions of unfair targeting of Muslim populations, which he argued undermined essential community confidence. He has questioned the role of unrestricted free speech in potentially fueling , suggesting limits where it poses direct threats to individuals, and urged government promotion of moderate religious narratives online to counter , particularly amid lockdown-induced vulnerabilities. On immigration and its security intersections, Paddick opposed the 2023 Illegal Migration Bill, labeling it an "anti-refugee" measure that erodes the 's historical asylum commitments by denying claims to all irregular arrivals, including vulnerable children and modern slavery victims, and fails to curb through ineffective enforcement against gangs. He advocated rejecting in favor of expanding legal routes, clearing asylum backlogs, and targeted anti-trafficking operations, viewing irregular crossings as a broader European challenge exacerbated by desperation rather than isolated policy failures. In national security terms, he warned that a hard could jeopardize cooperation on threats like by isolating the from intelligence-sharing. Paddick chaired the Liberal Democrats' 2016 working group on liberty and security, whose policy paper—adopted at party conference—prioritized protections against expansive state powers, including opposition to bulk in the Investigatory Powers Bill, which he deemed a "draconian" overreach risking abuse without sufficient safeguards. His positions reflect a consistent prioritization of proportionate measures that preserve public trust over blanket restrictions, informed by his operational experience in high-risk environments like post-7/7 .

Controversies and criticisms

Challenges to police hierarchy and operational decisions

As borough commander for Lambeth in south London, Paddick initiated a cannabis cautioning pilot scheme in July 2001, directing officers to issue warnings rather than arrests for adults possessing small amounts of the drug, thereby redirecting resources toward serious crimes like heroin and crack cocaine dealing. This operational shift, which reduced cannabis-related arrests by approximately 50% in the borough, conflicted with entrenched enforcement priorities within the Metropolitan Police hierarchy, prompting criticism from superiors who viewed it as undermining drug laws. On 17 March 2002, Paddick was removed from operational duties amid leaked allegations of personal misconduct tied to his private life and supposed leniency, an action he attributed to resistance against his reformist approach rather than substantiated wrongdoing. An internal investigation cleared him of drug-related claims by November 2002, leading to his reinstatement, though the episode exposed hierarchical intolerance for deviations from standard procedures. Paddick's most prominent challenge to police operational decisions arose in the aftermath of the 22 July 2005 shooting of Jean Charles de Menezes, an innocent Brazilian electrician mistakenly identified as a suicide bomber suspect following the 7 July bombings. As deputy assistant commissioner, Paddick publicly disputed the Metropolitan Police's initial account, stating he was informed within hours by senior officers that de Menezes did not match the suspect's description and had done nothing to justify lethal force, contradicting Commissioner Sir Ian Blair's early assertions that the victim had been carrying a bomb detonator and vaulted a tube barrier. At the 2008 inquest, he testified that —the shoot-to-kill protocol for suspected suicide bombers—suffered from "significant weaknesses," including ambiguous command chains, inadequate briefings to firearms officers, and flawed escalation procedures that enabled the fatal error at Underground station. Paddick argued these operational deficiencies reflected broader leadership failures in risk assessment and accountability, positioning himself against the hierarchy's defensive posture and contributing to scrutiny of Blair's tenure. These confrontations culminated in Paddick's early retirement from the on 31 May , after 32 years of service, which he linked to irreconcilable frustrations with bureaucratic constraints and hierarchical resistance to internal critique, including his de Menezes dissent. His advocacy for evidence-based reforms over rigid protocols consistently positioned him at odds with conservative elements in police command structures, fostering perceptions of him as an internal dissenter despite his promotions to senior ranks.

Perceived leniency on crime and public safety impacts

In 2001, as commander of Police, Paddick launched the Warning Scheme, directing officers to issue formal cautions rather than pursue arrests or charges for adults found in possession of small amounts of consumed in private, explicitly to free up police time for tackling , , and gun offenses amid 's high rates of such incidents. This localized depenalization pilot, running until 2002, faced immediate backlash from critics who argued it projected undue leniency on drug-related offenses, potentially weakening deterrence against use and signaling to the public that priorities had softened on low-level criminality. Opponents, including senior police figures and conservative politicians, contended that the policy could embolden dealers and users by reducing perceived risks, thereby undermining community safety in an area already plagued by drug-fueled violence. Paddick defended the initiative by citing operational data showing a 50% increase in cannabis seizures alongside rises in arrests for Class A drugs like heroin and crack cocaine, as well as for dealing offenses, attributing these gains to redirected resources without evidence of heightened cannabis prevalence or related antisocial behavior. Empirical analyses of the experiment's effects corroborated that depenalization did not lead to elevated overall crime rates in Lambeth compared to neighboring boroughs; instead, it correlated with sustained or improved focus on serious offenses, challenging claims of public safety deterioration but not dispelling perceptions of ideological softness. Reform advocates, including Paddick himself, highlighted how the scheme boosted public cooperation with police on major crimes, yet conservative media and political adversaries framed it as emblematic of a broader liberal tolerance for vice that prioritized offender rights over victim protection. These perceptions extended into Paddick's political career, where during his 2008 and 2012 mayoral campaigns, rivals accused him of being "soft on crime" due to his advocacy for broader drug decriminalization and skepticism toward harsh sentencing, arguing such views risked exacerbating urban disorder by de-emphasizing punitive measures. In the , his opposition to stringent elements of bills like the , Crime, Sentencing and Courts Act 2022—such as expanded stop-and-search powers—drew similar rebukes for allegedly favoring over robust public order enforcement, with detractors claiming it reflected a pattern of downplaying enforcement's role in deterring criminality. While Paddick maintained that evidence-based reforms enhance safety by addressing root causes like over futile , the enduring critique posits that his positions contribute to a societal underestimation of crime's human costs, potentially eroding deterrence in high-risk environments.

Political reliability and media persona

Lord Paddick's political reliability has been questioned by some within the Liberal Democrats due to instances of prioritizing personal principles over party unity, most notably his resignation as the party's home affairs spokesman on 14 June 2017. He cited concerns over then-leader Tim Farron's equivocal past statements on whether sex acts were sinful, despite Farron's election-time clarifications, arguing that such views undermined the party's commitment to liberal values. This action, coming amid the 2017 campaign, highlighted tensions between his advocacy for LGBTQ+ rights—rooted in his experience as the UK's highest-ranking openly —and perceived inconsistencies in party leadership. Critics within the party viewed it as disruptive, potentially eroding collective discipline, though supporters framed it as principled consistency with . Further scrutiny arose from a post-2008 mayoral review by Liberal Democrats, which attributed poor performance partly to Paddick's focus on self-promotion rather than advancing party messages, describing him as a "turn-off" for voters. His earlier policing innovations, such as the 2001 cautioning scheme, drew conservative media accusations of leniency on , amplifying perceptions of ideological unreliability on law-and-order issues among right-leaning commentators. These episodes suggest a pattern of challenging hierarchical or orthodox positions, from command to party roles, which bolsters his image as a maverick but invites doubts about team reliability in conventional political structures. Paddick's media persona is characterized by high visibility as a policing expert and outspoken commentator, often leveraging his 30-year career for critique of institutional practices. He has frequently appeared on broadcast panels, including BBC's , to advocate for reforms in and , positioning himself as a liberal counterpoint to narratives. However, his participation in , such as entering ITV's I'm a Celebrity... Get Me Out of Here! in November 2008 shortly after his mayoral defeat—where he lasted 17 days—drew criticism for diluting political gravitas, with observers questioning how a senior figure could transition to entertainment without undermining credibility. In reflection, Paddick later expressed reservations about such formats, stating no intent for repeats unless tied to charity, yet the episode reinforced a public image blending authority with accessibility, sometimes at the expense of perceived seriousness. Right-wing outlets have historically portrayed him as emblematic of progressive excess in policing, citing media leaks and personal disclosures as of indiscretion, while left-leaning sources emphasize his openness as neutralizing critics through transparency. This polarized coverage underscores a that thrives on , enabling broad reach but risking dismissal as performative amid systemic media biases favoring over depth.

Personal life

Relationships and family dynamics

Paddick married Mary Stone in 1983, entering the union as a deliberate effort to adhere to conventional heterosexual expectations despite recognizing his from childhood. The , which lasted until their in 1988, produced , and Stone has continued to provide personal support to Paddick in subsequent years. Following the , Paddick pursued same-sex relationships, beginning with James Renolleau, whom he met in 1995. The partnership ended amid reports of inflicted by Renolleau on Paddick and public scrutiny over shared use, which Renolleau disclosed to in 2002, contributing to professional repercussions for Paddick. In the late , Paddick was involved with a partner named Michael, whose death from a GHB overdose occurred in 2013 during a chemsex gathering; Paddick publicly addressed the incident in 2018, highlighting risks within gay subcultures involving drug-facilitated sex. Paddick's longest relationship was with Norwegian Petter Belsvik, met during a 2006 holiday in ; they married on 9 January 2009 in , eight days after became legal there, with recognition following the 2014 legislation. Belsvik died unexpectedly on 27 February 2023 at their home, leaving Paddick, who described him as a "beautiful, loving " to whom he was deeply devoted, profoundly bereaved. Paddick has no children, contrasting with his twin brother, who maintains a including five children from marriages. Raised by parents Anthony Henry J. Paddick, a plastics salesman, and Evelyn Perkin, a , Paddick experienced parental acceptance of his sexuality, though his mother expressed ongoing concern into her later years.

Health struggles and public disclosures

In 2018, Brian Paddick publicly shared his experiences with prevention, disclosing his participation in the PROUD for (PrEP), a medication regimen for -negative individuals at high risk of infection. He described having "a couple of close calls with positive" partners prior to starting PrEP, emphasizing its effectiveness in allowing him to maintain sexual health without fear of acquisition during periods of multiple partnerships. Paddick credited PrEP with providing peace of mind and advocated for its wider availability through the , highlighting its role in reducing transmission rates among gay and bisexual men. Paddick has also disclosed details of a former boyfriend's fatal overdose on gamma-hydroxybutyric acid (GHB), a commonly used in chemsex sessions within parts of the gay community. The incident occurred around 2013, when the boyfriend consumed excessive GHB at a private party, fell asleep, and was later found unresponsive; Paddick learned of the death indirectly and expressed regret for not intervening more assertively in their past relationship regarding drug risks. He shared this account in a 2018 interview to caution others about GHB's dangers, noting its narrow margin between recreational dose and lethal overdose, and linking it to broader health vulnerabilities in chemsex culture, including heightened and transmission risks. These disclosures align with Paddick's broader advocacy on matters, informed by his career in policing, though he has not detailed personal chronic illnesses or disabilities. Earlier reports, such as a 2004 article, referenced him disclosing his " status" as one of the first officers to do so, but subsequent personal accounts of PrEP use confirm his HIV-negative status and focus on prevention rather than treatment.

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  84. https://www.standard.co.uk/news/mayor/brian-paddick-urges-softlysoftly-approach-to-cannabis-7665134.html
  85. https://www.brianpaddick.com/Ideas/Ybiyfi/
  86. https://www.theguardian.com/uk/2008/nov/05/de-menezes-pathologist-inquest
  87. https://www.dailymail.co.uk/debate/article-11662379/LORD-BRIAN-PADDICK-says-saw-brass-defend-violent-racist-police.html
  88. https://www.theguardian.com/law/davehillblog/2011/dec/05/brian-paddick-metropolitan-police-stop-and-search
  89. https://policeprofessional.com/news/abdication-of-leadership-over-stop-and-search-says-paddick/
  90. https://www.thepinknews.com/2021/10/01/brian-paddick-metropolitan-police/
  91. https://www.theguardian.com/uk/2012/apr/06/metropolitan-police-warned-racism
  92. https://www.newstatesman.com/politics/2012/02/rape-met-report-paddick
  93. https://www.libdemvoice.org/brian-paddick-writes-policing-the-riots-25426.html
  94. https://www.theguardian.com/politics/crime-and-justice-blog/2012/feb/06/brianpaddick-livingstone
  95. https://www.parallelparliament.co.uk/mp/lord-paddick/debate/Lords/2021-10-27/debates/1D3883D7-7080-4CEF-A299-0B12FD12C426/PoliceCrimeSentencingAndCourtsBill
  96. https://hansard.parliament.uk/Lords/2020-11-10/debates/102D4C6F-BE9D-4423-B8D5-998698E346D3/UKTerrorismThreatLevel
  97. https://parallelparliament.co.uk/lord/lord-paddick/debate/2020-11-10/lords/lords-chamber/uk-terrorism-threat-level
  98. https://parallelparliament.co.uk/lord/lord-paddick/debate/2017-12-05/lords/lords-chamber/terrorist-attacks
  99. https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-38440939
  100. https://www.theyworkforyou.com/lords/?id=2023-05-10a.1879.0
  101. https://hansard.parliament.uk/lords/2023-05-10/debates/FC2D65CD-6FC8-42EA-AB0E-F460E02CF2D0/IllegalMigrationBill
  102. https://www.theguardian.com/profile/brianpaddick
  103. https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2016/oct/19/investigatory-powers-bill-snoopers-charter-lib-dem-labour
  104. https://www.theguardian.com/uk/2007/may/02/terrorism.july7
  105. https://www.theguardian.com/uk/2002/apr/13/ukcrime.drugsandalcohol
  106. https://www.ctinsider.com/news/article/Britain-Removes-Police-Chief-7090312.php
  107. https://www.theguardian.com/uk/2002/nov/13/ukcrime.nickhopkins
  108. https://www.theguardian.com/uk/2008/nov/06/menezes-inquest-paddick
  109. https://www.standard.co.uk/hp/front/paddick-to-reveal-shoottokill-concerns-at-menezes-inquest-6809837.html
  110. https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/home-news/de-menezes-inquest-could-seal-the-fate-of-blair-as-mets-chief-936168.html
  111. http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/england/2082149.stm
  112. https://www.standard.co.uk/hp/front/drug-dealers-capitalise-on-relaxed-rules-6311025.html
  113. https://www.standard.co.uk/hp/front/paddick-families-of-july-7-victims-deserve-an-explanation-6626039.html
  114. https://hansard.parliament.uk/lords/2021-11-10/debates/F79E3F18-2DC5-4B6C-8D75-0ABE55044EA3/PoliceCrimeSentencingAndCourtsBill
  115. https://www.the-independent.com/news/uk/politics/brian-lord-paddick-quits-over-tim-farron-gay-sex-comments-lib-dem-liberal-democrat-general-election-2017-a7789816.html
  116. https://www.libdemvoice.org/how-does-the-party-recover-after-a-bruising-week-54639.html
  117. https://www.standard.co.uk/hp/front/paddick-was-a-turnoff-for-voters-say-libdems-6922243.html
  118. https://www.reddit.com/r/ukpolitics/comments/uvy24/i_found_this_article_from_2002_was_trending_on/
  119. https://www.salon.com/2001/08/02/brixton/
  120. https://imaceleb.fandom.com/wiki/Brian_Paddick
  121. https://www.libdemvoice.org/brian-paddick-writes-im-not-a-celebrity-should-i-have-got-me-in-there-9917.html
  122. https://www.the-independent.com/news/people/profiles/brian-paddick-boris-is-a-caretaker-livingstone-really-is-unpleasant-7606227.html
  123. https://www.theguardian.com/world/2002/mar/24/gayrights.ukcrime
  124. https://www.independent.co.uk/news/media/the-word-on-the-street-mail-and-the-beeb-standard-and-paddick-the-myth-of-reality-tv-9237359.html
  125. https://stevebeasant.4mp.org.uk/2014/03/13/lord-brian-paddick-writes-legally-married-at-last/
  126. https://www.standard.co.uk/hp/front/my-boyfriend-beat-me-up-says-controversial-gay-expolice-chief-brian-paddick-6688832.html
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  128. https://www.thepinknews.com/2018/09/29/police-chief-boyfriend-chemsex-ghb/
  129. https://www.buzzfeed.com/patrickstrudwick/a-former-police-chief-has-spoken-out-about-his-ex-boyfriend
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  135. https://nat.org.uk/news/brian-paddick-talks-about-his-prep-use-nat-comment/
  136. https://www.libdemvoice.org/brian-paddicks-tells-of-death-of-former-boyfriend-in-heartbreaking-and-personal-interview-58748.html
  137. http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/magazine/3701218.stm
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