No. I don't think it's a case of the higher ups being frightened because of what Harwood might have on them. I think it's a case of the police don't wash their dirty linen in public. Or maybe it's a case of the devil looks after his own.

I strongly suspect in fact, that retiring culpable personnel on spurious ill health grounds is a standard way of hushing things up and hiding the mess. After all, it would never do for the general public to get wind of corruption in the police force, would it?