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Here is a man of intellect, probity, progressive ideas and the energy to carry them through, who spent his working life in the two most rigid, conservative and autocratic organisations in the country-the police force and the civil service. He was surrounded by petty, jealous colleagues, many of whom were out to get him. Yet he lasted forty years. Perhaps a better title for this riveting tale of his life would have been The Survivor'
–Phillip Knightley, Sunday Times
'How he came to be on the wrong end of a Labour kicking is only a small part of the autobiography. Perhaps the most interesting aspect of the book is the changing nature of policing since the 1960s, when crime was far lower and villains were regularly given a good hiding. Hellawell has some insights about the future of policing that the Home Secretary would do well to contemplate'
–Philip Johnston, Daily Telegraph
'Hellawell's gift for the controversial quote made him the best-known policeman of his generation. His autobiography will cement that reputation'
–Glasgow Herald
Product Description
The tough life of one of Britain's most senior policemen, who rose through the ranks from poverty and deprivation to the highest office, and went on to become Blair’s ‘Drug Czar’.
An abused, unwanted, squint-eyed boy, Keith Hellawell never knew who his real father was. His mother, a club dancer, was always bringing home different men, and would tie him to the table-leg to keep him quiet. He fought at school and went down the pit. It was a hard-bitten, inauspicious start for a man who was eventually to become Chief Constable of Cleveland, and then West Yorkshire, and later, controversially, New Labour's much-feted and summarily dismissed 'Drugs Tsar'.
In his autobiography he writes candidly about four decades of public service. He lifts the veil on police brutality, corruption and abuse of power. He chronicles the rise in terrorism, public disorder, drug abuse and criminality. He discusses the childishness and insecurity of politicians and civil servants. He deals with the issues of racism, sexism and political correctness, and provides a rare insight into the workings of the judiciary, royalty and the establishment. And he chronicles the often lonely challenges of dealing with the likes of Peter Sutcliffe in a police career that took him everywhere from Northern Ireland to Hollywood.
The Outsider is the autobiography of a man of absolute integrity fired by the determination to better not only his own lot, but that of other humans as well, and to change things from the inside.
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Written himself rather than ghost written, the account is chronological, with each chapter merging seamlessly to the last. What comes shining through is Hellawell's ability throughout his life to say something 'as it is' and to have the principles to stand up for what he believes in. From his early tough background in the North of England through his early career as a miner, he takes us on a journey through each event that gave his life direction. In this way, the book does not become bogged down with unnecessary detail.
Joining the police force in the early 60's he was able through his own beliefs to largely (though he admits not entirely) resist the culture of corrupt policing that was rife in the force at this time. He is nothing if not honest about his own shortcomings allowing the reader to decide upon the stronger elements of his character. He also highlights how draconian some of the rules for policemen were at this time (needing permission to marry and having his future wife interviewed by his boss is a good example) and how he tried to change some of these rules as he relatively quickly made the rank of Chief Constable. The book also details to some degree his interviews with the convicted Yorkshire ripper, Peter Sutcliffe.
Hellawell pulls no punches in this account and you are left with the impression of a highly skilful and principled man. One of the gems in this book is the backbiting and petty jealousies of civil servants and cabinet ministers, in later chapters after he became the much-heralded drugs tsar. You will be surprised at how childish some of them can be.
In summary, this is as fine an autobiography as I have read in many years. A wonderful account of a fine man and highly recommended.
The penultimate chapter on "looking Ahead" is still as relevant today. Unfortunatley, political interference will be getting worse in the near future and there is still very little to reduce bureaucracy on the front line.Keith Hellawell exposes his support of front line policing and gives a view that police ranks need to be "flattened out". This, for me, was quite an inspiring read.
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