Steve Retford
Steve Retford served as a police officer for 33 years, 29 of those was as a detective within the Criminal Investigation Department (CID).
On retirement Steve was a Detective Sergeant and lead trainer within the Investigative Skills Unit of his forces Crime & Specialist Training Department, with specific responsibility for investigative interviewing training.
This position made him responsible for the design, development and delivery of the full range of interviewing courses addressing the categories of victims, witnesses and suspects from basic to advanced levels.
Some of these were adopted as national training curriculums.
He is trained as an advanced practitioner in all interviewing categories, a role he is current in to this day.
In terms of his investigative experience during his career he has worked on the full spectrum of investigations ranging from serious and complex to volume crime.
Steve is trained as a Specialist Interview Advisor with national accreditation, with both national and international deployment experience.
In 2012 he received an award from the International Investigative Interviewing Research Group (iiIRG) for his services as a Specialist Interviewing Advisor.
He has received numerous Chief Constables Commendations for his work as an investigator.
Over the years he has developed professional working relationships with leading academics and institutions working within the area of psychology, forensic linguistics and law enforcement.
Steve is a fully qualified assessor and has achieved his Masters (MA) degree in Investigation Management from Sunderland University.
He is also active in research studies with academics within the area of investigative interviewing.
His experience and expertise has created for him opportunities to speak at seminars and conferences within the UK and overseas.