Middlesbrough police chief denies gangs control the town as she begs for more cash and officers and praises ‘brave’ pair killed in line of duty
Cleveland Police's Chief Constable Victoria Fuller has rejected claims that gangs control Middlesbrough, while acknowledging her force urgently needs more money and officers to tackle organised crime and street violence. She spoke out in an emotional interview after two of her officers, PC Matthew Blades, 37, and PC Tom Clough, 38, were killed on 22 August when a car driving the wrong way down the A66 collided with theirs. The crash, which also killed five young men in the other vehicle, has sparked unrest and violence across Middlesbrough and County Durham, an area that already has the highest crime rate in England and Wales.
Fuller said Cleveland Police needs £26 million to defeat organised gangs and combat street crime, warning that deprivation and unemployment leave young people vulnerable to exploitation by criminals offering false "hope and aspiration". She welcomed a £2 million funding boost from Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood but said it fell far short of what was required, describing the problems as "complex, multi-generational issues" that cannot be solved by policing alone or overnight. Police and Crime Commissioner Matt Storey said the force faces a £2.4 million shortfall, equivalent to around 40 full-time officers, and has said government funding fails to match the demands placed on Cleveland Police. Fuller also paid tribute to PC Blades and PC Clough as "brave, committed, professional people" who died while carrying out routine duties.
- Cleveland Police chief denies gangs run Middlesbrough amid unrest.
- She says force needs £26m to tackle organised crime.
- Tribute paid to two officers killed in A66 crash.
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Cleveland Police, which covers Middlesbrough and the wider Teesside area, is one of the smallest forces in England but polices a region with the highest recorded crime rate in England and Wales. Its Chief Constable, Victoria Fuller, has long argued the force is underfunded relative to the demands it faces, particularly around gang activity, drugs and youth violence linked to poverty and unemployment. Matt Storey is the elected Police and Crime Commissioner for the area, whose role includes setting the force's budget and holding it to account.
The immediate backdrop is the deaths of two Cleveland Police officers, PC Matthew Blades and PC Tom Clough, who were killed on 22 August when their vehicle was struck by a car travelling the wrong way on the A66. Five young men in the other car also died in the crash, and the incident has been followed by disorder in Middlesbrough and County Durham. This has put fresh focus on policing resources and community tensions in the area.
The story matters because it touches on wider debates about police funding across England, how forces in deprived areas cope with organised crime, and the safety risks officers face while on duty. It also raises questions about how central government, via the Home Secretary, decides funding allocations to individual forces like Cleveland Police.