Rob Beckley (police officer)

Robert John Beckley QPM is a senior British police officer and the High Sheriff of Somerset. He was seconded as an Assistant Commissioner from the Metropolitan Police to the Home Office from November 2016 until March 2024 to head the Command Team of Operation Resolve, the investigation into the Hillsborough disaster.^[1] He was awarded the Queen's Police Medal in 2007.^[1] In March 2024 he was declared High Sheriff of Somerset.^[2]

Robert John Beckley
Known for	Leading the investigation into the Hillsborough disaster
Police career
Country	Metropolitan Police, Thames Valley Police, Hertfordshire Constabulary, Avon and Somerset Constabulary
Rank	Assistant Commissioner
Awards	Queen's Police Medal

Early life

Beckley graduated in Law from the University of Durham (University College).^[3] He spent four years working in development and education in Africa before joining the police.^[4]

Career

His first police service was with the Metropolitan Police in Brixton, Southall and New Scotland Yard (1986–1997), with whom he rose to the rank of Chief Inspector, before being promoted to Chief Superintendent during a subsequent spell in Thames Valley Police (1997–2002).^[1][4] He was then promoted to Assistant Chief Constable just before moving to head Territorial Operations (and later Crime and Operations) in Hertfordshire Police (2002–2007) then to become Deputy Chief Constable of Avon and Somerset Police (2007–2016).^[1]

In parallel with these posts he also held the national portfolio for citizens in policing and later for counter-terrorism and matters of race and faith.^[4] This was followed by time as Chief Operating Officer of the new College of Policing from July 2013 to 2016, after which he was appointed an Assistant Commissioner in the Metropolitan Police simultaneously with his appointment to his role with Operation Resolve.^[5] In April 2018, in his role with the Home Office, he responded to the investigation into Operation Midland by recommending a move away from police automatically believing victims to one in which victims were reassured they were being listened to.^[6]

Rob Beckley became High Sheriff of Somerset in March 2024. He actively supports and is a trustee of a number of charities, some local to Somerset as well as international charities such as the Bishop Tutu Foundation and Project Trust.^[7]

Honours

Ribbon	Description	Notes
	Order of St John[8]	Member 2011
	Queen's Police Medal (QPM)	2007
	Queen Elizabeth II Golden Jubilee Medal	2002 UK Version of this Medal
	Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee Medal	2012 UK Version of this Medal
	Queen Elizabeth II Platinum Jubilee Medal	2022 UK Version of this Medal
	King Charles III Coronation Medal	2023 UK Version of this Medal
	Police Long Service and Good Conduct Medal	With 30 year service bar