Ex-police chief spent more than £5,000 on first class trains
More than £5,500 was spent on first class rail travel by outgoing West Midlands Police chief constable Chris Sims in less than a year, it has emerged.
Mr Sims, who is also a former chief constable of Staffordshire Police, booked 25 first class rail tickets, mostly between Birmingham and London, from April to December last year, when he left the force.
The amount claimed over the months for the tickets was £5,550.62. This does not include other rail journeys he booked on expenses.
As chief constable of the country's second largest force, Mr Sims was paid £200,000 a year in salary and benefits and oversaw cuts of £125 million.
The figures, published after a Freedom of Information request to the force, showed other members of the force's senior command team also booked first class rail tickets.
New chief constable David Thompson, who was Mr Sim's deputy before he left, booked seven first class train tickets over the same period – claiming £1,081.88.
Other rail journeys not marked up as 'first class' on his expenses also cost high amounts include a £324.82 return rail ticket between Stockport to London.
The list of expenses also revealed the amounts claimed for meals, flight upgrades and hotels.
Forces spokesman Kate Baker said: "There are occasions here first class tickets are purchased and these are either because they are actually a cheaper option or there may be a need for important work to take place during that travel time."
