Sir David Joseph O'Dowd (born 20 February 1942) was Chief Inspector of ConstabularyThe Independent (UK newspaper, 1986 to 2016) from 1996 until 2001.

O'Dowd was educated at Gartree High School, University of Leicester, the Open University and the University of Aston.Debretts He joined the Leicester City Police in 1961 rising to the rank of Chief Inspector. In 1977 he joined the West Midlands Police as a Superintendent. In 1984, along with John Smith and Wyn Jones, he was one of a trio of young provincial rising stars who were appointed to the rank of deputy assistant commissioner in the Metropolitan Police as part of Commissioner Sir Kenneth Newman's drive for modernisation,"Provincial policemen join Yard's top ranks", The Times, 18 August 1984 becoming head of strategic planning. He was Chief Constable of the Northamptonshire Police from 1986 until 1993. He was High Sheriff of Northamptonshire in 2007.‘O’DOWD, Sir David (Joseph)’, Who's Who 2016, A & C Black, an imprint of Bloomsbury Publishing plc, 2016; online edn, Oxford University Press, 2015; online edn, Nov 2015 accessed 15 May 2016

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