Tributes have been paid to a former senior detective who had a distinguished career with West Yorkshire Police.
Former Detective Chief Superintendent Bob Taylor helped put some of West Yorkshire’s most dangerous criminals behind bars, including ‘shoe fetish killer’ Christopher Farrow who murdered Wakefield mum Wendy Speakes. He also worked on the hunt for the Yorkshire Ripper and the search for the killer of Leeds woman Julie Dart, 18, which led detectives to Keighley-born kidnapper Michael Sams.
Mr Taylor, who died on Saturday at the Prince of Wales Hospice in Pontefract, rose through the ranks at West Yorkshire Police during a career that spanned more than 30 years.
His detection and conviction rate was said to be ‘100 per cent’ which reportedly made him one of the country’s most successful detectives. He led more than 50 investigations into killers, kidnappers and rapists.
Undated file photo of Michael Sams
(Image: PA)
His son, Finlay, posted a tribute on social media on Sunday, writing: “With great sadness, I write to inform you that my dad, Bob Taylor, known to many across West Yorkshire, sadly passed away yesterday afternoon at 3pm at the Prince of Wales Hospice, Pontefract.
“Dad dedicated over 30 years to West Yorkshire Police, rising through the ranks to become Detective Chief Superintendent. During his distinguished career, he worked tirelessly to bring justice to victims of serious crimes, alongside a team of Detectives and Police Constables.
“He was proud to have been part of a team. With Dad holding a remarkable 100% detection and conviction rate for some of the most serious crimes committed. Dad was described by a top psychologist as a ‘bear of a man’ for his strength and dedication to his work in policing.
“I am immensely proud of my dad for all he accomplished in his life and career. His book Crime Buster and many TV documentaries he featured in will be one of many lasting memories. He fought bravely against his cancer diagnosis and battled until the very end. I will miss him dearly, as I know many others will. Dad, I love you so very much and will miss you immensely.
Christopher Farrow, who was jailed for raping and stabbing to death Wendy Speakes
“Any donations to the Prince of Wales Hospice will be greatly appreciated. Funeral details will follow in the coming weeks. RIP.”
Earlier this year Mr Taylor gave an insight into the life of a detective, and what it takes to catch killers, in a podcast by Success Means Business.
He told the podcast: “This isn’t a job that you can turn off at 5 o’clock, go home and shut down your computer and forget about until the next day.
“It’s going to live with you for weeks and haunt you, until you actually get a result.”
Asked about brutal crime scenes and how he ‘switches off’, he said that some of the images remained on his mind.
“These things don’t go away from you, but you manage them.”
Mr Taylor told the podcast that Dennis Hoban, former head of Leeds CID, had been his mentor and someone he admired. Mr Taylor later received the Dennis Hoban Trophy for outstanding detective work, the first Superintendent to receive the award.
Speaking about modern policing, he said it was still a good career to pursue, but he admitted he might struggle to be ‘politically correct’.
“It’s not the job it used to be. It’s diversified into so many different ways that I don’t think we are serving the public in the best way we could.”
He added: “Police don’t investigate things now. One force said ‘we are going to investigate every crime’. I am sorry but the majority of the public thought you were doing that anyway….there’s so many other pressures on the police.”
He added: “I wouldn’t last two minutes if I joined today – probably wouldn’t be politically correct enough.”
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