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Back in the 1970s, I spent 6 years working alongside a Special Branch officer, Det Sgt John Sparks who was Charles Naan's right hand man. John told me how he had achieved early promotion to sergeant but, after he and Naan worked on the West Midlands Police corruption enquiries, he was told, unofficially, he had damaged his career by investigating police corruption and that he would never progress further. Indeed, despite being an assiduous and effective officer, he was still a sergeant when he retired.

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Shocking, but not surprising. Don Williams said he and other officers faced the same thing. And yet there were plenty of dud officers who rose and rose the hierarchy by being 'team players'.

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