Cleveland Fire Chief Suspended as Investigation Launched..

Peter Rickard is said to be facing a second Investigation & is currently on leave

Fire Chief Suspended as Yet Another Investigation Rocks Scandal Hit Cleveland Fire Brigade..

21st April 2026

A senior figure at Cleveland Fire Brigade has reportedly been suspended while an independent investigation is carried out into a matter brought to the attention of the Fire Authority.

Peter Rickard, Chief Fire Officer of Cleveland Fire Brigade, had reportedly been on parental leave, which had ended. However, officials confirmed that he will not be returning to duties and will instead remain absent from the service while an investigation takes place.

In a statement issued by Cleveland Fire Authority, it was confirmed that the issue prompting the investigation had been formally raised with the authority, triggering the decision to appoint an external party to oversee the process. The authority says this is to ensure the investigation is conducted in a “fair, thorough and impartial” manner.

No further details about the nature of the investigation have been disclosed, with officials stating it would be “inappropriate to comment further” while inquiries remain ongoing.

Interim leadership in place

Simon Weastell has been appointed as The Interim Chief Fire Officer for Cleveland Fire Brigade

During Mr Rickard’s absence, Simon Weastell has been appointed as Interim Chief Fire Officer. He will lead the service alongside Assistant Chief Fire Officer Kristine Ward, with the authority expressing confidence in the current leadership arrangements.

The Fire Authority said the brigade would continue operating as normal, maintaining its core responsibilities across prevention, protection and emergency response services, However the lack of detail surrounding the investigation is likely to raise questions locally, particularly given the seniority of the role involved, a previous investigation which was said to have taken place last year and the importance of public trust in emergency services.

Cleveland Fire Authority has not indicated how long the investigation is expected to take, nor whether any interim findings will be made public.

It comes barely a year after a major scandal rocked Cleveland Fire Authority with the collapse of the Community Interest Company Cleveland Fire Brigade Risk management Services CIC, which its claimed despite the firm leaving creditors with millions of pounds owed, not one single member of Cleveland Fire Authority will face any action being taken against them, despite evidence to show significant misconduct on the part of its directors, legal officers & its finance officials.

For now, residents across Teesside are being assured that frontline services will not be affected.