You may have seen in the news last week that the gross misconduct hearing involving Chief Constable Rod Hansen has been postponed due to legal reasons.

The hearing began as scheduled on Thursday 16 July 2026, with the panel chaired by Roy Wilsher (His Majesty’s Inspectorate of Constabulary and Fire & Rescue Services). The panel are considering dates to resume the hearing from December onwards.

Additionally, Rod Hansen’s employment contract ends on the 31 July 2026.

There will be no change to the current leadership structure of Gloucestershire Constabulary with Maggie Blyth remaining Temporary Chief Constable.

Following Chief Constable Hansen’s departure a recruitment process, in line with Home Office regulations, will take place to select a permanent Chief Constable.

Mr Hansen’s gross misconduct hearing will continue to take place following his contract ending.

As your Police and Crime Commissioner, one of my most important responsibilities is to hold the Chief Constable to account on behalf of the public. While the Chief Constable of the police force is responsible for the operational delivery of policing, my role is to provide oversight, scrutiny and democratic accountability.

The Police Reform and Social Responsibility Act 2011 give Police and Crime Commissioners the responsibility to hold Chief Constables accountable for how they lead their force and for providing an effective and ethical policing service.

Holding a Chief Constable to account is not about directing individual investigations or interfering in operational decisions. Operational independence remains a fundamental principle of British policing. Instead, my role is to scrutinise performance, challenge where improvement is needed, and seek assurance that all staff are doing the right thing to deliver for the people of Gloucestershire.

I do this through a range of formal and informal mechanisms. Regular performance meetings, weekly one-to-ones with the Chief, accountability boards and public scrutiny sessions. These mechanisms allow me to question the Chief and senior officers on issues such as ethical leadership, crime levels, victim satisfaction, response times, neighbourhood policing and the management of finances and resources.

Ultimately, my role is to be the public’s voice in policing, ensuring that the Chief Constable and the force remain accountable responsive and focused on delivering safer communities while maintaining public confidence and trust in policing.