Colin Cramphorn

Colin Cramphorn

Colin Ralph Cramphorn CBE, QPM, DL, FRSA (1 April 1956 – 30 November 2006) was the Chief Constable of West Yorkshire Police from September 2002 to November 2006.

Colin Cramphorn was educated at Strodes Grammar School, Egham, before joining the Surrey Constabulary in 1975. In September 1981 he went as a Bramshill scholar to the Faculty of Law (as it then was), King's College London, to study for the LL.B., and successfully graduated in June 1984. In 1995 he was appointed an Assistant Chief Constable with West Mercia Constabulary.

In 1998 he moved to the Royal Ulster Constabulary and he was briefly Acting Chief Constable of the RUC's successor, the Police Service of Northern Ireland, prior to the appointment of Sir Hugh Orde in May 2002. Cramphorn continued as Orde's deputy until September 2002, when he was appointed Chief Constable of West Yorkshire Police.

Colin Cramphorn died of cancer in November 2006 at the age of 50.