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Avon and Somerset Police chief Nick Gargan told to resign | |
(about 1 hour later) | |
A police chief guilty of misconduct has been called upon to resign by the police and crime commissioner. | 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. | |
PCC Sue Mountstevens said he had "abused his position" by forwarding emails and "storing intimate images" on his work phone. | |
The news was said to come as a "huge disappointment" to Mr Gargan. | |
The Chief Police Officers Staff Association (CPOSA) said he would wait to see under "what grounds" the call for his resignation has been made. | |
'Let down' | |
Ms Mountstevens 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. | 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 findings published on the force website largely relate to "inappropriate disclosure of information" by forwarding emails and "inappropriate use of police-issued iPhone" by storing "intimate" images and text messages. | |
It recommended a sanction of 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. | 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. |
'Flawed judgement' | |
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. | 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." | "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". | 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. | "From what I have seen and heard, he has lost the confidence of local people, police officers and staff," she said. |
Rumours 'untrue' | |
She said she had now "initiated the process to require him to resign". | She said she had now "initiated the process to require him to resign". |
On Mr Gargan's behalf, CPOSA said he had "complied with every requirement of the protracted misconduct investigation and subsequent hearing" and had apologised for misconduct. | |
"He placed his fate in the hands of an expert professional panel, which made a clear recommendation that he should go back to work," the statement said. | |
"The overwhelming majority of the rumours surrounding the chief constable have turned out not to be true; indeed none of the initial allegations that prompted his suspension led to a misconduct finding, let alone a finding of gross misconduct or criminal behaviour." |