Police Digital Service confirms resignation of second director in two weeks

The Police Digital Service (PDS) has lost another director in the form of ex-Accenture UK policing and justice lead Allan Fairley, who has left the organisation on “conflict of interest” grounds, Computer Weekly has learned.   

Fairley joined the PDS board as a non-executive director on 6 June 2024, but – as confirmed by a Companies House filing dated 30 July 2024 – his appointment has now been terminated.

At the time of his appointment in June 2024, Fairley posted an update to professional social networking site LinkedIn to announce his new role, which he stated would see him take on the role of non-executive director to the PDS board, and serve on the organisation’s Workforce, Nominations and Remuneration Committee.

His LinkedIn profile confirmed he previously worked at Accenture since 1991 in various roles, before becoming the organisation’s UK police and justice technology lead in 2012, and moving on two years later to become the company’s UK police and justice managing director. He retired from the company in March 2022. 

He is the second director in two weeks to resign from PDS, after an earlier Companies House filing confirmed the company’s CEO Ian Bell’s directorship had also been terminated on 16 July 2024

In a statement to Computer Weekly, a PDS spokesperson said: “Following discussions with the board, Allan Fairley has decided to resign his position as a non-executive director of the Police Digital Service because of the risk of a perceived conflict of interest.”

No further details about the nature of the “perceived conflict of interest” were shared at the time of publication, but it is known that – as well as his former role at PDS – he also serves as vice-chair of TechUK’s Justice and Emergency Services Management Committee.

A representative for TechUK confirmed Fairley’s position on the committee remains unchanged.

News of Fairley’s departure comes at a tumultuous time for PDS, which is the organisation responsible for co-ordinating the roll-out and development of digital services to UK police forces.

As exclusively revealed by Computer Weekly on 3 July 2024, two of its employees were arrested by the City of London Police earlier this month on suspicion of fraud, bribery and misconduct in public office.

The individuals in question are understood to have been bailed pending further inquiries, while PDS confirmed to Computer Weekly at the time that the suspects would be subject to an employee misconduct review, and a “thorough review” of how the company operates would also be undertaken.