A "blatantly dishonest" Merseyside Police Chief Inspector has been sacked over his persistent contact with an allegedly crooked property developer linked to the underworld.
Married dad-of-three Stephen Rice was yesterday told his 24-year-career in the force is over in disgrace after an independent panel concluded he was guilty of gross misconduct.
Rice was dismissed without notice following a long-running investigation by the force's Anti-Corruption Unit called Operation Redshift. Before he was suspended in 2021, Rice had been responsible for neighbourhood policing across Wavertree, Toxteth and Picton. He had also served as a firearms officer before being promoted.