Richard Watkinson Obituary, Death – Ch Insp. Richard Watkinson, who had been placed on administrative leave, was discovered dead on Thursday at his Buckinghamshire residence. The cop was being looked into for voyeurism, misconduct in public service, and conspiracy to distribute obscene photos of children. The Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC), a police oversight organization, made his initial arrest on July 9, 2021. At the time of the arrest, Mr. Watkinson was working with the West Area command unit. The case was then given to specialized investigators of the Met Police due to “major advances in the investigation.”
On July 9, 2021, an MPS officer was taken into custody by IOPC investigators “after a behavior referral from the MPS,” according to an IOPC spokeswoman. We determined that it was in the best interest of the general public for the investigation to be conducted by force officers who are experts in this field, he continued. On July 20, the senior cop was taken into custody once more on suspicion of a number of crimes. According to a spokesman for the Met Police, “A serving officer was arrested by the Independent Office for Police Conduct on July 9, 2021, and the issue was returned for an investigation by specialist officers from the Met.”
The officer was further detained on July 20, 2022, on suspicion of crimes such as voyeurism, misconduct in public service, and conspiracy to disseminate obscene photos of youngsters. The cop was suspended from duty and released on bail while inquiries continue. The Buckinghamshire house of Mr. Watkinson was visited by Met Police officers last week in a region that is typically patrolled by Thames Valley Police.
The Met spokesperson stated, “On the afternoon of January 12, Met police responded to a home in Buckinghamshire due to welfare concerns and discovered the death of a man in his 40s. “We can confirm the guy was a serving Met officer, stationed at the West Area Command Unit, whilst Thames Valley Police are handling this incident,” the statement said.