The Rise and Fall of Sergeant John Fitzpatrick: From Decorated to Disgraced Officer...

Sgt John Fitzpatrick was dismissed from Cleveland Police after a Misconduct Hearing ruled he brought the force of no public confidence into disrepute

His Dismissal from a police force littered with allegations of Corruption & Misconduct has left many on Teesside wondering just how long this will be allowed to go on before the failing institution is finally disbanded ?

11th March 2025

Sergeant John Fitzpatrick's tenure with Cleveland Police, once marked by significant contributions to major operations targeting organised crime has come to a crashing end, ironically his downfall being the very drugs he'd sought to eradicate from Teesside's streets..

Sergeant John Fitzpatrick was said to have been instrumental in smashing a multi million pound drugs gang

The now former Sergeant John Fitzpatrick was said to have played a pivotal role in Operation Spoonbill, a complex investigation led by Cleveland Police in the targeting of an international drug smuggling ring. The operation led to the conviction of 33 individuals involved in importing approximately 500 kilograms of Class A drugs, with an estimated street value of £17.25 million pounds, into the UK. Fitzpatrick's leadership was said to have been instrumental in dismantling this sophisticated network, which utilised rented cottages, including one owned by actress Miriam Margolyes, as helicopter drop-off points for drugs smuggled from mainland Europe. His efforts culminated in significant prison sentences for the perpetrators and the seizure of substantial quantities of drugs and cash

Cleveland Police has some of the highest number of misconduct cases against serving officers in the whole of the country

However, on the back of what seemingly looked to be an enviable crime fighting career within one of the countries most scandal ridden police forces, Fitzpatrick's esteemed career took a dramatic downturn, when allegations of Fitzpatrick's alleged misconduct emerged back in 2023, where just two years later, In March 2025, a disciplinary panel would find him guilty of multiple breaches of professional standards, including Failing to secure sensitive police information, Engaging in inappropriate communications with a witness, Disobeying lawful directives related to a surveillance operation, as well as the Possession and using steroids, a controlled substance.

These infractions not only led to his immediate dismissal from the force, but also cast a dark shadow over his prior accomplishments. The irony of an officer once lauded for combating drug crimes being found in possession of illegal substances is said to underscore the complexities and pressures inherent in all policing roles, with questions now said to be emerging over whether potential criminal cases Fitzpatrick was involved in could now have to be looked at again to ensure those convictions are 'safe'....

Worse still, its said to be the second Misconduct Case leading to the dismissal of an officer in the space of just weeks, with sources telling Durham & Teesside today that more are set to come in the months ahead, as Cleveland Police's Anti Corruption Unit (ACU), with one officer only recently dismissed from the force not even completing her full training before being removed from service following a conviction for assault.

Fitzpatrick's case serves as a stark reminder of the paramount importance of integrity and ethical conduct within the police force, something that's been inherently lacking within Cleveland Police for a very long time, It highlights the necessity for robust support systems to help officers navigate the challenges they face, ensuring that those entrusted with upholding the law remain steadfast in their commitment to justice & don't get sucked into the criminal underworlds they're attempting to dismantle.

The lines are getting ever more 'blurred' over who are police & who's the villains ?

Two Officers have now been sacked in 2025 alone from the Cleveland Police force area, with sources claiming more are set to come !

As Cleveland Police continue their mission to eradicate drug-related crime, the downfall of Sergeant Fitzpatrick emphasises the critical need for personal accountability and adherence to professional standards among all officers, with the latest incident simply adding more weight to the argument that Cleveland Police is a force now that will never change its ways, with officers ill equipped to deal with the crimewave that's descended upon Teesside, & the force now looking to be woefully inadequate once again in all areas, as the distinguishing factors that differentiate the hero's from the villains within Cleveland Police becomes ever harder to determine.