Clive Loader

Air Chief Marshal Sir Clive Robert Loader (born 24 September 1953) is Police and Crime Commissioner for Leicestershire. He is a retired Royal Air Force Officer and was the first Commander-in-Chief Air Command (CinC AIR).

RAF career
Educated at the Judd School, Tonbridge and the University of Southampton, Loader joined the RAF in 1973. As a junior officer, he was posted to No 1 (F) Squadron at RAF Wittering and then IV (Army Cooperation) Squadron at RAF Gütersloh, Germany flying Harriers. Promoted to Squadron Leader in 1984 he became a Flight Commander in Germany. Promoted to Wing Commander in 1989, he went briefly to RAF Rheindahlen, before being made Personal Staff Officer to the Air Officer Commanding-in-Chief RAF Strike Command.

He was given command of No. 3 (F) Squadron, at RAF Laarbruch in 1993 in which role he took part in operations over Northern Iraq and Bosnia. Promoted to Group Captain in 1995, he attended the Higher Command and Staff College and then became Station Commander at RAF Laarbruch in 1996.

Promoted to Air Commodore in 1999 he became Air Commodore for the Harriers in 2000. Promoted again, this time to Air Vice-Marshal, he was appointed as Assistant Chief of Defence Staff (Operations) in 2002 and Deputy Commander-in-Chief RAF Strike Command, in the rank of Air Marshal, in 2004. Promoted to Air Chief Marshal in 2007 he became the first Commander-in-Chief of Air Command on 1 April 2007. He retired from the RAF in 2009.

Leicestershire and Rutland Police and Crime Commissioner
In April 2012, while serving as a parish councillor in Wing, Rutland, Loader announced he was seeking the Conservative nomination as the Leicestershire and Rutland Police and Crime Commissioner. He stated that Leicestershire Constabulary should operate to those same high standards of effectiveness, efficiency and professionalism that he embraced during his RAF career. Loader was selected as the Conservative candidate on 26 May 2012. He was opposed by Labour's Sarah Russell, Leicester deputy mayor and chair of the Safer Leicester Partnership which coordinates the police with other services, and Suleman Nagdi, a community worker and businessman standing as an independent.

He was elected to the role with 47% of the first choice vote in a turnout of only 16.36%, winning after second choice votes were taken into account. 2.65% of the total votes cast were spoiled. The turnout was one of the lowest ever seen in Leicestershire and Rutland leading University of Leicester criminologist Dr James Treadwell to ask if the £75m national cost of the elections was money well spent.

Personal life
In 1976 he married Alison Leith. The couple live in Wing, Rutland. They have three sons who were all educated at Bedford School, of which he is a school governor. He is a keen military historian.

Honours and Awards

 * 30 December 1995 - Loader was appointed an Officer of the Order of the British Empire in the 1996 New Year Honours.
 * 31 December 2005 - Loader was appointed a Knight Commander of the Order of the Bath in the 2006 New Year Honours.