Police officer, born in Wigan, Greater Manchester, NW England, UK. Educated in Manchester, he joined the local police force in 1953, becoming chief inspector in 1967, and chief constable of the Greater Manchester Police Force (197691). He was known for his outspoken and sometimes controversial opinions. He was knighted in 1991.
Sir James Cyril Anderton (born May 24, 1932) is a former British policeman who served as Chief Constable of Greater Manchester from 1975 to 1991.
Born in Wigan and educated in local schools, he served in the military police before joining the civil force in 1953.
His appointment as Chief Constable of Greater Manchester was announced on October 23, 1975. While always popular with his force, Anderton frequently courted public controversy with his outspoken views on policing and morality. As a professed Christian who claimed to speak with the supreme being regularly and who characterized himself to be an instrument of divine judgment, Anderton came to be known as "God's Cop", this is referenced in a song of the same name by Manchester band the Happy Mondays, on the album Pills and Thrills and Bellyaches.
In 1986 he was embroiled in national political controversy when his deputy John Stalker was suspended over seemingly trivial allegations of misconduct when on the point of completing an official report critical of the policing policies of the Royal Ulster Constabulary.
He married Joan Baron and the couple have one daughter.
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