Martyn Underhill is a British independent politician and former police officer who served as the Dorset Police and Crime Commissioner from 2012 to 2021.
21 Facts About Martyn Underhill
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Martyn Underhill was a Detective Chief Inspector in Sussex Police, who retired in 2009 after 30 years of service.
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Martyn Underhill joined the Metropolitan Police in 1979, transferring to Sussex Police in 1984.
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Martyn Underhill remained on the investigation until Roy Whiting was convicted of Sarah Payne's murder in December 2001 and sentenced to life imprisonment.
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Martyn Underhill then became Project Manager of Child Rescue Alert, piloting it into Sussex Police in 2002.
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Martyn Underhill later took this to the Association of Chief Officers Homicide Working Group to ask for the pilot to be introduced nationally, which was achieved by 2006.
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Martyn Underhill was an adviser [for one day] in the case of Holly Wells and Jessica Chapman, who were abducted and murdered.
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Martyn Underhill then moved to the Training Department in Sussex Police, having qualified as a police trainer, assessor and verifier.
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Martyn Underhill went on to campaign for safeguarding issues, including Sarah's Law, which was introduced into Dorset in October 2011.
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Martyn Underhill became the Laymember on his Local Safeguarding Children's Board, as well as becoming a trustee for the Bournefree charity.
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Martyn Underhill was a visiting lecturer at Bournemouth University for the School of Applied Science.
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Martyn Underhill is a Senior Lecturer in Criminology at Bournemouth University.
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In July 2011, Martyn Underhill reported to Operation Weeting that he thought his police phone had been hacked during the Sarah Payne murdercase.
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Martyn Underhill was initially contacted by a source at The Sun newspaper warning him of how they were in possession of information from a reliable source alleging an inappropriate relationship between Martyn Underhill and Sara Payne during the investigation.
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In February 2012, Martyn Underhill declared himself as an Independent candidate for the Dorset Police and Crime Commissioner role.
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In 2013, as Dorset PCC, Martyn Underhill was one of three PCC's nominated by their peers to review the role and remit of the Association of Chief Police Officers.
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Martyn Underhill's review recommended substantial changes, including the transition to a new organisation called the National Police Chiefs Council.
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In 2014, Martyn Underhill became the first PCC nationally to formally commission the charity Victim Support to provide victim services in his area.
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In July 2015, Martyn Underhill announced that he would stand as a candidate in the following year's police and crime commissioner elections.
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In December 2019, Martyn Underhill announced that he will not stand for re-election in 2020, but due to the COVID-19 pandemic he stood until the delayed election in 2021.
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On 11 August 2023, his 39 year old son Benjamin Jon Martyn Underhill died following a severe head injury after exiting a moving car in Wimborne Minster.