Craig Guildford, the chief constable of West Midlands Police, has retired with immediate effect following mounting public and political pressure over his handling of a contentious decision to ban Maccabi Tel Aviv football fans from a UEFA Europa League match in Birmingham. The November 6 match against Aston Villa had sparked widespread outrage in both the UK and Israel, with some officials labeling the ban as “antisemitic.”
Simon Foster, the regional crime commissioner, confirmed Guildford’s retirement, noting that the controversy had become a “significant distraction” for the force, which serves Birmingham, the UK’s second-largest city. “It was important this matter was resolved in a balanced, calm, fair, measured and respectful manner,” Foster said.
UK Interior Minister Shabana Mahmood, who represents Birmingham in parliament, stated that Guildford had “done the right thing” by stepping down. Earlier this week, she had expressed that she had lost confidence in him after a preliminary report by the policing watchdog found the West Midlands Police had “overstated” the threat posed by Maccabi fans.
The independent investigation, led by police chief inspector Andy Cooke, highlighted what it called “confirmation bias” by the force. Rather than objectively assessing the risks, the police allegedly sought evidence to support their pre-determined decision to ban the fans. The report found that the force overstated threats posed by the visiting fans while underestimating risks to them if they traveled to Birmingham.
Several inaccuracies in the police advice to the local Safety Advisory Group (SAG) were documented, including references to a non-existent game between Tel Aviv and West Ham—a mistake attributed to the use of AI tools. Guildford later admitted to MPs that erroneous information had been generated using Microsoft Copilot, clarifying that the force did not intentionally distort facts.
West Midlands Police issued a statement expressing regret for the impact of the errors on individuals and communities. “We know that mistakes were made, but reiterate the findings that none of this was done with an intent of deliberate distortion or discrimination,” the force said.
The controversy has fueled calls for reform, with Mahmood announcing plans to give the interior minister the power to remove underperforming local chief constables, a role previously limited to regional crime commissioners.
Guildford, 52, leaves the force after a tenure marked by scrutiny and criticism, including political backlash from Prime Minister Keir Starmer and Israeli officials. The case underscores the challenges of risk assessment in public safety and the growing scrutiny over the use of artificial intelligence in police operations.
