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Avon and Somerset Police chief Nick Gargan is asked to resign | |
(35 minutes later) | |
A police chief guilty of misconduct has been called upon to resign by the police and crime commissioner. | |
Avon and Somerset chief constable Nick Gargan was suspended in May 2014 amid allegations of inappropriate conduct and, later, data protection breaches. | Avon and Somerset chief constable Nick Gargan was suspended in May 2014 amid allegations of inappropriate conduct and, later, data protection breaches. |
PCC Sue Mountstevens said he had "abused his position" by forwarding emails and "storing intimate images on his police issue phone". | |
She is the first PCC to use new powers to call upon a chief constable to quit. | |
Last month, an independent QC-led panel cleared Mr Gargan of gross misconduct - a sackable offence under police conduct rules - but found him guilty of eight misconduct charges. | |
The sanction recommended by the panel was the most severe available - eight final written warnings, one for each misconduct finding. | |
But Ms Mountstevens has been petitioned by retired officers and Mr Gargan's three predecessors as chief constable, who said he should go for the good of the force. | |
In a statement on Wednesday, she said: "Chief Constable Nick Gargan has let down the colleagues he led and the communities he was there to protect. | |
"He abused his position by forwarding confidential emails, interfering with a proper recruitment process and sending, receiving and storing intimate images on his police issue phone." | |
She said he should have "led by example" but had instead "shown flawed judgement" and been found guilty of eight counts of misconduct "including two of discreditable conduct". | |
"From what I have seen and heard, he has lost the confidence of local people, police officers and staff," she said. | |
She said she had now "initiated the process to require him to resign". |