Gloucestershire Constabulary Chief Constable to face misconduct hearing

The Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) has concluded that the suspended Chief Constable of Gloucestershire Constabulary, Rod Hansen, must face a misconduct hearing over an alleged failure to respond appropriately to a personal data breach. The allegation centres on claims that Mr Hansen did not take sufficient action after receiving information in October 2022 about a staff member who was suspected of carrying out an unauthorised search of police systems, which included accessing third-party personal data from a road traffic collision that occurred in September 2022.

The police watchdog stated the gross misconduct allegations relate to potential breaches of professional standards, including those concerning reporting improper conduct, honesty and integrity, and compliance with duties and responsibilities. The IOPC believes a disciplinary panel could find that Mr Hansen failed to handle the matter in accordance with force policy and data protection laws. The force's Chief of Staff, Gary Thompson, who was suspended last year in connection with the same incident, will also face a misconduct hearing. 

Training Announcement: Freevacy offers a range of independent data protection qualifications from IAPP and BCS. Our certified courses are available at foundation and practitioner levels and cover multiple legal jurisdictions, data protection operations management, and the implementation of complex privacy solutions in technical environments. Find out more.