Lawrence Byford

Sir Lawrence Byford (10 August 1925 – 10 February 2018) was an English police officer who served as Chief Inspector of Constabulary from 1983 to 1987. His inquiry into the failings of the Yorkshire Ripper investigation by West Yorkshire Police earned him the description "the man who changed the face of modern policing" because it "led to fundamental changes in the way serial killer investigations would be carried out in future across the world".

Early life

Byford was born the son of a coal miner in Normanton, West Riding of Yorkshire. He left school without any qualifications and became an apprentice electrician at a local pit. In 1944, Byford was conscripted and saw service during the latter months of World War II with the Royal Signals in France, Belgium and Germany.

Honours He was awarded the Queen's Police Medal (QPM) in the 1974 New Years Honours List. He was appointed a Commander of the Order of the British Empire in 1979, and was knighted in 1984. He was appointed as the Deputy Lieutenant (DL) of the County of Lincolnshire on 24 November 1987. The University of Leeds awarded him an honorary degree (LLD) in 1987. He was appointed as the Deputy Lieutenant (DL) of the County of North Yorkshire on 31 March 1998. On 10 August 2000 he was moved to the retired list in both counties upon reaching the mandatory retirement age of 75.

29 December 1978 Commander Civil Division

"For Distinguished Service"

Personal life In 1950 he married Muriel Campbell Massey: they had three children, one of whom, Mark Byford, was Deputy Director General of the BBC and head of BBC Journalism from 2004 to 2011. Lawrence Byford's daughter, Jill, is mother of comedian Maisie Adam. Lady Byford died in .

Later life

Byford was President of Yorkshire County Cricket Club from 1990 to 1999;