Michael James Todd QPM (10 August 1957 – 11 March 2008) was Chief Constable of Greater Manchester Police from October 2002 until his death. Early life and education Todd grew up in Essex where he attended the Billericay School and later attended the University of Essex. He graduated with a first class honours degree in government in 1989 and a master's degree in politics in 1994. The university named him the alumnus of the year in 2003 for his contributions to policing and the community. Police career Starting as a Police cadet Todd joined Essex Police in 1976. After progressing through the ranks he attained the level of Inspector via a management exchange programme with the Metropolitan Police. In 1995 he was appointed Assistant Chief Constable of Nottinghamshire Police, initially managing support services and then operational policing. He returned to the Metropolitan Police in 1998 when appointed Deputy Assistant Commissioner and in 2000 he was promoted to the rank of Assistant Commissioner. Throughout his tenure as Assistant Commissioner he was responsible for Territorial Policing covering all 32 London Boroughs. He oversaw the policing of several high profile public events, such as the Notting Hill Carnival, the Golden Jubilee celebrations and the anti-capitalist May Day protests, for which he received a Commissioner's Commendation from then Commissioner John Stevens. In 2002, he was selected as Chief Constable of Greater Manchester Police, overseeing a City then notable for its extensive gang-related gun crime and a force with a record of poor performance, inefficiency and mired in claims of institutional racism. By the time of his death he was viewed as instrumental in improving performance, helping to dispel Manchester's "Gunchester" image and restoring his forces's reputation within the local community. In 2006 he became a vice-president of ACPO (Association of Chief Police Officers), a post he held until his death. Investigation of CIA extraordinary rendition flights Todd investigated on behalf of the Association of Chief Police Officers the extraordinary rendition flights conducted by the CIA to transport detainees. Taser demonstration Todd was a proponent of the use of the taser and advocated for the weapon to be more widely issued to front line Police Officers. In 2005, in order to demonstrate that the stun guns were safe and effective, he allowed himself to be tasered on camera. After recovering he said "I was completely incapacitated, and if I was carrying a weapon there was