GLOUCESTERSHIRE Police’s chief constable Rod Hansen has been suspended while an investigation into alleged gross misconduct is undertaken.

The Office of the Police and Crime Commissioner has confirmed his suspension, which will be subject to a probe by the Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) into his handling of an allegation against a member of staff

PCC Chris Nelson said the IOPC is investigating an alleged breach of standards of professional behaviour, and he decided to suspend Mr Hansen from his role pending the outcome.

Mr Nelson said his team is now working to identify a temporary chief constable who can lead the force - whose policing area includes the Forest of Dean – in the interim.

Mr Nelson said: “Earlier today, the Independent Office of Police Conduct (IOPC) informed Chief Constable Rod Hansen that it is investigating an alleged breach of standards of professional behaviour.

“I have decided to suspend Mr Hansen from his role with Gloucestershire Constabulary pending the outcome of this investigation. I will emphasise that the decision to suspend is a neutral act. It has no bearing on any indication of guilt and should not be seen as such.

“I have spoken to His Majesty’s Chief Inspector of Constabulary, Andy Cooke, after taking this decision. The Executive Board will provide continuity for the organisation.

“My team and I are now working with other colleagues in policing to nationally identify a temporary Chief Constable who can lead Gloucestershire Constabulary during this period.

“I know that this will come as a shock to many in the County, especially to our hard working officers and staff, and to our partner organisations, but it is right that any allegations are dealt with consistently and investigated properly, thoroughly and swiftly. I have every confidence that the IOPC will do exactly that.

“It will be up to the IOPC to lead on any communication about the investigation that it considers necessary.

“In the meantime, I would like to assure residents and criminals alike that the Constabulary will be operating as normal, keeping our residents safe, and preventing and detecting crime.”

An IOPC spokesperson said the investigation concerns his handling of an allegation against a member of staff and whether relevant policies and procedures were followed. They have today served a gross misconduct notice on the Chief Constable to advise him his conduct is subject to an investigation. This notice does not necessarily mean any disciplinary proceedings will follow, they said

“We can confirm we are investigating conduct allegations against the Chief Constable of Gloucestershire Constabulary, Rod Hansen. The investigation follows a referral in August from the Office of the Police and Crime Commissioner for Gloucestershire.

“The investigation concerns his handling of an allegation against a member of staff, and whether relevant policies and procedures were subsequently followed. We have today (Monday) served a gross misconduct notice on the Chief Constable to advise him his conduct is subject to investigation. Such a notice does not necessarily mean any disciplinary proceedings will follow. Our investigation is ongoing.”

Mr Hansen joined the constabulary as deputy chief constable in May 2013 and took the top job in May 2017. He is the 16th in the Constabulary’s history.

Prior to joining, Mr Hansen spent time being schooled in England, Canada and Ireland before acquiring a degree in geography and geology.

He was a member of the Special Air Service’s A Squadron (V) before starting his career at Avon and Somerset Constabulary policing South Gloucestershire more than 34 years ago. During that time has covered a variety of roles from patrol inspector in central Bristol to District Commander for Bath and North East Somerset.

Other postings also led the force surveillance team and reviewing child protection arrangements. He later helped to establish a ten year joint venture company delivering enabling services to three public sector organisations including the Constabulary.

As a senior investigator, he has investigated deaths in two other forces and played important roles in serious and organised crime investigations. Mr Hansen is also an experienced strategic firearms commander, has commanded over 300 firearms incidents and was a national assessor for this specialism for many years.

Mr Hansen has been a hostage negotiator since 1998 and for a number of years was the South West Regional Co-ordinator for negotiating. He was course director for the regional negotiators course and in October 2003 trained negotiators within the Greek police service in preparation for the 2004 Olympic Games in Athens.

In 2010, he established the International Police Response Cadre (IPRC) which is a team of specially trained police officers working alongside the military able to deploy at short notice to high threat locations across the world. This has included assisting in supporting British overseas territories experiencing hurricanes and the subsequent humanitarian crisis that follow.

Mr Hansen has also been the Chief Police Advisor to the military Joint Task Force Headquarters (JTFHQ) and part of a multi-agency team of non-military advisors working closely alongside colleagues from the Stabilisation Unit, Department for International Development, Foreign and Commonwealth Office and a variety of volunteer and charitable groups such as the International Red Cross.

His deployments to date include; Somalia to help devise the next phase of the United Nations (AMISOM) plan to bring security to the wider Horn of Africa and the Masai Mara, Kenya, working with Kenyan and Ugandan Rapid Deployment Forces on flood relief, food assistance programmes, malaria and refugee reduction.

He has also assisted in the fast time provision of a UK police capability to assist the British military in extracting British nationals from Libya during the fall of the regime. Since 2012, Mr Hansen has served as the National Police Chiefs’ Council lead for mounted policing.

He previously held the position of lead for police dogs for several years and currently serves as the national lead for aviation, overseeing helicopters, fixed-wing aircraft, and the police use of drones. As a long standing practitioner of Shotoki Karate, Rod still trains regularly and, as a fifth Dan instructor still finds time to teach a Constabulary club.

Since becoming Gloucestershire’s Chief Constable he has introduced a ground breaking supportive leadership and wellbeing programme which has transformed the culture of the Constabulary, according to the police force. The effect has been described by National academics as “astonishing”, they say.

In 2018 Rod stimulated a partnership to create a self-leadership programme for children in the county. Office of the Police and Crime Commissioner today confirmed Mr Hansen’s suspension.