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| Gwent police chief 'told to retire or be humiliated' by crime commissioner | Gwent police chief 'told to retire or be humiliated' by crime commissioner |
| (3 months later) | |
| A police and crime commissioner (PCC) threatened to "humiliate" a chief constable if she did not quit, MPs have been told. | A police and crime commissioner (PCC) threatened to "humiliate" a chief constable if she did not quit, MPs have been told. |
| Carmel Napier, the former chief constable of Gwent police, stepped down in June after PCC Ian Johnston ordered her to retire. | Carmel Napier, the former chief constable of Gwent police, stepped down in June after PCC Ian Johnston ordered her to retire. |
| She told the home affairs select committee that Johnston used "horrible words" when he called her in to present her with the ultimatum. | She told the home affairs select committee that Johnston used "horrible words" when he called her in to present her with the ultimatum. |
| She said: "It was a clear threat. Retire or resign or – actually horrible words – I will humiliate and dismiss you." | She said: "It was a clear threat. Retire or resign or – actually horrible words – I will humiliate and dismiss you." |
| PCCs, which replaced existing police authorities in 41 force areas across England and Wales, were given powers to set force budgets and hire and fire chief constables. | PCCs, which replaced existing police authorities in 41 force areas across England and Wales, were given powers to set force budgets and hire and fire chief constables. |
| Napier announced she was retiring from her 30-year career in policing on 7 June, and it later emerged she had been forced out by Johnston. | Napier announced she was retiring from her 30-year career in policing on 7 June, and it later emerged she had been forced out by Johnston. |
| Johnston, a former chief superintendent in the Gwent force with more than 30 years of service, earlier told the committee Napier was hostile to the idea of PCCs. Johnston, who ran as an independent in the election, told the committee he became aware that Napier was discouraging police staff from contacting him during his first week in office. He said: "That to me didn't show much evidence that the chief constable had embraced the act of parliament that had created police and crime commissioners." | Johnston, a former chief superintendent in the Gwent force with more than 30 years of service, earlier told the committee Napier was hostile to the idea of PCCs. Johnston, who ran as an independent in the election, told the committee he became aware that Napier was discouraging police staff from contacting him during his first week in office. He said: "That to me didn't show much evidence that the chief constable had embraced the act of parliament that had created police and crime commissioners." |
| Johnston denied that a "clash of personalities" was behind his decision. He said: "The chief constable from day one just did not accept the role of the PCC." Napier said Johnston read out the ultimatum from a written document in what she thought was to be a routine one-to-one meeting at her office on 23 May. | Johnston denied that a "clash of personalities" was behind his decision. He said: "The chief constable from day one just did not accept the role of the PCC." Napier said Johnston read out the ultimatum from a written document in what she thought was to be a routine one-to-one meeting at her office on 23 May. |
| She said: "At no time before 23 May did he say to me that he had any concerns – never mind as he phrased it in that shocking 23 May document that he had grave concerns about my performance and behaviour as a chief constable. | She said: "At no time before 23 May did he say to me that he had any concerns – never mind as he phrased it in that shocking 23 May document that he had grave concerns about my performance and behaviour as a chief constable. |
| "There had been no conversation or debate about my performance and behaviour. There had been no discussions which said I need to address any concerns he may have had. There have been no HR processes, interviews and meetings with me during which both he could have flagged his concerns and provide evidence to support them." | "There had been no conversation or debate about my performance and behaviour. There had been no discussions which said I need to address any concerns he may have had. There have been no HR processes, interviews and meetings with me during which both he could have flagged his concerns and provide evidence to support them." |
| She added: "There was no indication that he was going to start formal procedures." | She added: "There was no indication that he was going to start formal procedures." |
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