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| Version 1 | Version 2 |
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| Avon and Somerset Chief Constable Nick Gargan to face gross misconduct probe | Avon and Somerset Chief Constable Nick Gargan to face gross misconduct probe |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| A police chief is to face an internal charge of gross misconduct following an allegation of inappropriate behaviour towards women. | A police chief is to face an internal charge of gross misconduct following an allegation of inappropriate behaviour towards women. |
| Avon and Somerset Chief Constable Nick Gargan was suspended in May. | Avon and Somerset Chief Constable Nick Gargan was suspended in May. |
| A probe by the police watchdog led to PCC Sue Mountstevens making the decision that Mr Gargan had a case to answer over the allegation. | A probe by the police watchdog led to PCC Sue Mountstevens making the decision that Mr Gargan had a case to answer over the allegation. |
| Mr Gargan, who denies any wrongdoing, also faces an internal charge over improper disclosure of information. | Mr Gargan, who denies any wrongdoing, also faces an internal charge over improper disclosure of information. |
| 'Case to answer' | 'Case to answer' |
| He learned in June that he would not face any criminal charges. | |
| In a statement, Ms Mountstevens said the Independent Police Complaints Commission (IPCC) had put forward a number of recommendations regarding Mr Gargan. | In a statement, Ms Mountstevens said the Independent Police Complaints Commission (IPCC) had put forward a number of recommendations regarding Mr Gargan. |
| "I have made the decision there is a case to answer for gross misconduct and therefore I will refer the allegations to a misconduct hearing in front of an independent misconduct panel," she said. | "I have made the decision there is a case to answer for gross misconduct and therefore I will refer the allegations to a misconduct hearing in front of an independent misconduct panel," she said. |
| "The members of the panel will decide if the allegations are proven or not and will present their recommendations to me. I will ensure that these recommendations are made public." | "The members of the panel will decide if the allegations are proven or not and will present their recommendations to me. I will ensure that these recommendations are made public." |
| In Mr Gargan's absence the force has been led by Assistant Chief Constable John Long. | In Mr Gargan's absence the force has been led by Assistant Chief Constable John Long. |
| 'Long-winded system' | |
| Mr Gargan is yet to comment publicly but a Chief Police Officers Staff Association sspokesman said it awaited specific details of the alleged breaches of the police code of conduct. | |
| "It would be inappropriate to comment until they have been provided - except to say that Chief Constable Gargan will continue to co-operate fully with the process and wants to get back to work as quickly as possible." | |
| Nigel Ashton, chairman of the Avon and Somerset Police and Crime Panel, said he was concerned about how long it had taken to bring the gross misconduct charge. | |
| He said the people who made the original complaints had the right to do that and remain anonymous but added that the chief constable also had rights - and was "innocent until proven guilty of anything". | |
| Ms Ashton said: "It's a very long-winded system on something that could be potentially quite damaging and is a serious issue which I think should have been handled much more quickly." |