Talk:George Oldfield (police officer)

Good start

In need of some improvements though. I'm currently without my copy of Wicked Beyond Belief as someone has borrowed it, but going from my excellent memory:

• As ACC (crime) he wasn't responsible for leading the Ripper inquiry, although as ACC he did has overrall responsibility for it. They were in fact two different positions, and he appointed himself as senior investigating officer in the Ripper inquiry in 1977 (I think, possibly 1976). This resulted in him doing two different jobs thereby increasing his workload, although that's probably a slight red herring as everyone on the Ripper case was overworked so even if he was free from his ACC responsibilities he'd only have spent the "free" time on the Ripper case. His dual role actually created a conflict of interest, as if an officer on the Ripper case disagreed with a decision made by the SIO then the ACC should have been a "court of last resort", but since Oldfield had both roles you can work the rest out. This was pointed out during one of the reviews of the case, I think it was one of the reviews performed while the case was ongoing not the Byford Report although the dual role was also criticised during the Byford Report also.
• Needs a mention of Oldfield's order that officers performing interviews were not to arrest a suspect without his authorisation, or challenge suspects if they lied during those interviews. Sutcliffe was interviewed as a result of every pro-active strategy used by the inquiry, and the Byford Report concluded that the last two (possibly three) interviews should have been conducted at a police station and Sutcliffe challenged during those interviews to provide explanations for his movements etc, and if that had happened the case would have been solved earlier and lives saved.

The book is good for background information also, there's a reasonable amount about his life prior to joining the police and his career in the 1960s. If you haven't sorted it by the time I get my book back, I'll have a stab at it myself. 2 lines of K₃₀₃

Proposed DYK hook

Also applies to this article, so discussing it here also. What's the exact source and wording for Oldfield's "belief", and assuming it's a direct quote from him in what context was it made? Was it in reply to a direct question asking him if he still believed that the tape sender was connected?

The reason I ask is that Oldfield's grim determination to cling to the Sunderland connection was talked about in Wicked Beyond Belief, although it's more to do with before Sutcliffe's capture. For him to turn round at any point and admit the tape and letters were a hoax would be basically admitting that he led the investigation down a blind alley for a long time, wasted millions of pounds in public money and may well have been indirectly responsible for the deaths of several people who wouldn't have died if the investigation wasn't focussed on Sunderland.

What he said might be one thing, but it's not necessarily what he believed. Oldfield may have known that there was no connection, but wasn't prepared to admit that publicly as it would be a huge loss of face. I'd suggest using a different hook, or rewording the existing one slightly. Thanks. 2 lines of K₃₀₃ 14:47, 23 December 2009 (UTC)

The source is that given: the Guardian report of 25 May 1981, which says: "Mr George Oldfield, the assistant chief constable (crime) who led the Ripper inquiry for many years but did not attend Sutcliffe's trial, told the Guardian that although he accepts that Sutcliffe did not personally write the letters or record the tape he still believes that there is a strong connection between them and the inquiry. Not all police officers accept that theory but there is certain school of thought among detectives that Sutcliffe knows who was responsible." From that report it seems fairly clear that Oldfield told a journalist his view knowing it would be publicised. Sam Blacketer (talk) 14:59, 23 December 2009 (UTC)

Annoying that it doesn't say what question that answer was in response to, but can't be helped. I think "said he believed" might be the way to go then? 2 lines of K₃₀₃ 15:04, 23 December 2009 (UTC)

If that fits with the size limits for DYK hooks then I'm happy with that. I should say that I haven't actually read 'Wicked Beyond Belief'; perhaps I should add it to my reading list. I have also misplaced my copy of 'Deliver Us From Evil' by David Yallop (one of my favourite authors). Sam Blacketer (talk) 15:13, 23 December 2009 (UTC)

It's an excellent book, it doesn't try to go over well trodden ground by doing a Sutcliffe life story instead going in-depth on the police investigation. It's unknown if Oldfield volunteered the information about the connection without being asked, or if it was in answer to a direct question. Assuming the latter, like most public officials faced with a question they really don't want to answer he was in a tight spot. If he says there's no connection, he's effectively admitting he cocked up the investigation in a bad way and it reflects really badly on West Yorkshire Police, who had already been pilloried. If he says he believes there's a connection, it's a way of saving face and he hopes he'll never be proved wrong. 2 lines of K₃₀₃ 11:40, 24 December 2009 (UTC)

Age at death

it's recorded on here George Oldfield died aged 61 yet it states his year of birth as 1919 and death as 1985. 2A00:23C5:C6A7:F301:415D:4161:E5F4:6A1A (talk) 19:25, 6 October 2023 (UTC)

Sources

A heck of a lot of this wants citations from reliable published sources, not just original research in BMD records. — Preceding unsigned comment added by 92.24.235.194 (talk) 21:00, 9 October 2023 (UTC)