Philip Knights, Baron Knights

Philip Douglas Knights, Baron Knights, CBE, QPM, DL (3 October 1920 – 11 December 2014) was an English police officer who served as Chief Constable of West Midlands Police, succeeding West Midlands Police's first Chief Constable, Sir Derrick Capper.[1]

For the musical group, see The Barron Knights.

The Right Honourable

The Lord Knights

CBE, QPM, DL
Born
Philip Douglas Knights

(1920-10-03)3 October 1920
Died11 December 2014(2014-12-11) (aged 94)
NationalityBritish
EducationEast Grinstead Co School, King's School
Alma materPolice Staff College, Grantham
OccupationChief constable
EmployerWest Midlands Police
SpouseJean Knights (deceased)

Career

Knights joined Lincolnshire Police as a Cadet in 1938, becoming a Constable in 1940 and completed training at the (now defunct) Police Staff College in Grantham, Lincolnshire. During World War II, he served in the Royal Air Force between 1943 until 1945. Knights returned to Lincolnshire Police, reaching the rank of Chief Superintendent in 1957. He moved to the Birmingham City Police in 1959 as an Assistant Chief Constable and rose to the rank of Deputy Chief Constable in 1970. In 1972 he moved to Sheffield and Rotherham Constabulary as Chief Constable. In 1974, Sheffield and Rotherham Constabulary amalgamated with parts of West Yorkshire Constabulary to become South Yorkshire Police. Knights returned to West Midlands Police where he was appointed Chief Constable. He was described as a 'true architect' of the new force, bringing together six separate forces into one.[2]

Controversy

In 1983 the Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament activist Madeline Haigh criticised Knights for not disciplining West Midlands Special Branch who investigated her after she wrote to a local newspaper complaining about the cancellation of a peace march. Knights defended the case by saying it "fell within the terms of reference of the Special Branch."[3][4]

Honours and awards
Knights' uniform as Chief Constable

Knights was awarded the Queen's Police Medal in 1964[5] and then appointed an Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) in 1971.[6] Knights was promoted to a Commander (CBE) in 1976[7] and knighted in 1980.[8][9][10][11][12] He was Deputy Lieutenant of the West Midlands in 1985[13] and was created a life peer on 22 July 1987 as Baron Knights, of Edgbaston in the County of West Midlands.[14] He sat as a crossbencher in the House of Lords until his death in 2014.

Knight Bachelor1980
Order of the British Empire1971
Queens Police Medal1964
Defence Medal1945
War Medal 1939–19451945
Queen Elizabeth II Silver Jubilee Medal1977
Police Long Service and Good Conduct Medal1972

Personal life

Knights was vice-president of the Warwickshire County Cricket Club, the Birmingham County Scout Council and the Birmingham Federation of Clubs for Young People.[13] and patron of the Police History Society. He had a considerable interest in classical music and became the patron of the British Police Symphony Orchestra from 1997 until his death. The orchestra had been formed in 1989 by Police Constable Alexander Roe of West Midlands Police.

His spouse was Jean Knights.

References
  1. "Lord Knights, the architect of West Midlands Police, dies at 94". West Midlands Police. 12 December 2014.
  2. "West Midlands Police Facebook". West Midlands Police. 15 December 2015. Retrieved 24 December 2015.
  3. "True Spies, Secret State: Timeline". BBC News. 17 October 2002. Retrieved 24 December 2015.
  4. "MI5 tactics under question". The Independent. 10 November 2002. Archived from the original on 26 May 2022. Retrieved 24 December 2015.
  5. "No. 43343". The London Gazette (Supplement). 13 June 1964. p. 4969.
  6. "No. 45384". The London Gazette (Supplement). 12 June 1971. p. 5967.
  7. "No. 46919". The London Gazette (Supplement). 12 June 1976. p. 8023.
  8. "No. 48160". The London Gazette. 18 April 1980. p. 5815.
  9. "MPs, Lords and offices – UK Parliament". Biographies.parliament.uk. 21 April 2010. Retrieved 22 May 2010.
  10. "Mr Philip Knights (Hansard)". Parliamentary Debates (Hansard). Retrieved 22 May 2010.
  11. "Honorary graduates of Aston University". .aston.ac.uk. Archived from the original on 25 May 2012. Retrieved 22 May 2010.
  12. "Political Biographies, Constituency & MP Profiles, News, Online Bookshop". DodOnline. Archived from the original on 27 May 2011. Retrieved 22 May 2010.
  13. "Lord Knights". UK Parliament. Archived from the original on 4 March 2013. Retrieved 4 February 2013.
  14. "No. 51008". The London Gazette. 27 July 1987. p. 9527.
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