The second largest territorial police force in England, covering the Metropolitan County of West Midlands, including the cities of Birmingham, Coventry and Wolverhampton, totalling nearly 2.9 million inhabitants. Chris Sims, Chief Constable at the time of Inquiry, and Chief Inspector Sally Seeley, who ran the West Midlands Police press office, gave evidence. Sims described a "very traditional relationship" with the media, with regular contact with the Evening Mail, Birmingham Post, Express and Star, and Coventry Evening Telegraph newspapers, plus periodic contact with others. He told the Inquiry that he never accepted hospitality from the media because "it's a professional relationship". Chief Inspector Sally Seeley said officers were expected to notify the press bureau if they had contact with reporters.
