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Police chief under fire over his Nazi clock
Published Date: 02 May 2008
By Staff Copy
NORTH Yorkshire's Deputy Chief Constable has come under fire for displaying a Nazi clock on his office wall.
Adam Briggs inherited the captured Second World War U-boat timepiece from his war veteran father, but he has been criticised by a local MP who says it is "highly inappropriate" for it to be on view at police headquarters.
Mr Briggs has insisted that if it was felt by the force or police authority to be causing offence he would remove it immediately. He also said no one had ever complained about the clock.
The brass and mahogany clock features on its face a German eagle above a swastika – the symbol of Hitler's Third Reich.
Harrogate and Knaresborough Liberal Democrat MP Phil Willis said: "I think it is a rather foolish thing to put in an office. It's highly inappropriate to put a piece of Nazi memorabilia in the office of a high-ranking policeman – but having said that I am sure it has been done in innocence rather than in any kind of anti-Semitic or malicious way."
Mr Briggs said: "My father served through the Second World War with the Royal Navy and was awarded several campaign medals. He received the clock following the sinking of a German U-boat and it was subsequently bequeathed to me.
"For the past 10 years the clock has been kept in my various offices within three different police forces. In that time, it has been seen by visitors of all races and faiths. I have always been happy to explain the history to anyone who asks about it and there has never been a single complaint or adverse reaction."
He added: "The clock stands in my office as a daily reminder of my father and of the debt we owe his generation and of the evils of war. If it was felt by the force or police authority it was causing offence I would remove it immediately."
Mr Briggs, who is married with four children and lives near Ripon, joined North Yorkshire as the new deputy chief constable last June. He was previously an assistant chief constable in Cleveland.
Police chief under fire over his Nazi clock
Published Date: 02 May 2008
By Staff Copy
NORTH Yorkshire's Deputy Chief Constable has come under fire for displaying a Nazi clock on his office wall.
Adam Briggs inherited the captured Second World War U-boat timepiece from his war veteran father, but he has been criticised by a local MP who says it is "highly inappropriate" for it to be on view at police headquarters.
Mr Briggs has insisted that if it was felt by the force or police authority to be causing offence he would remove it immediately. He also said no one had ever complained about the clock.
The brass and mahogany clock features on its face a German eagle above a swastika – the symbol of Hitler's Third Reich.
Harrogate and Knaresborough Liberal Democrat MP Phil Willis said: "I think it is a rather foolish thing to put in an office. It's highly inappropriate to put a piece of Nazi memorabilia in the office of a high-ranking policeman – but having said that I am sure it has been done in innocence rather than in any kind of anti-Semitic or malicious way."
Mr Briggs said: "My father served through the Second World War with the Royal Navy and was awarded several campaign medals. He received the clock following the sinking of a German U-boat and it was subsequently bequeathed to me.
"For the past 10 years the clock has been kept in my various offices within three different police forces. In that time, it has been seen by visitors of all races and faiths. I have always been happy to explain the history to anyone who asks about it and there has never been a single complaint or adverse reaction."
He added: "The clock stands in my office as a daily reminder of my father and of the debt we owe his generation and of the evils of war. If it was felt by the force or police authority it was causing offence I would remove it immediately."
Mr Briggs, who is married with four children and lives near Ripon, joined North Yorkshire as the new deputy chief constable last June. He was previously an assistant chief constable in Cleveland.
I so don't bloody think so !!
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