Thames Valley Chief Constable reinstated in surprise U-turn - despite ongoing gross misconduct claim against him
Suspended chief constable has today been reinistated with immediate effect following a surprise legal appeal.
Jason Hogg was suspended from all duties earlier this month after allegations were made public that he was under investigation for gross misconduct.
The suspension would remain while the IOPC, the independant police watchdog body, investigated the case, said TVP Police and Crime Commissioner Matthew Barber.
But this afternoon, in a surprise statement, Mr Barber announced the chief constable would be returning to his duties, even though the IOPC investigation, started almost two years ago, was still in progress.
He said: “I can announce today that Jason Hogg is returning to his duties as Chief Constable of Thames Valley police with immediate effect.
"Twelve days ago (16/01), when presented with a set of allegations by the Independent Office of Police Conduct (IOPC), I announced the Chief Constable’s suspension. Whilst I took this decision in what I considered to be the wider public interest of ensuring confidence in policing, this has been subject to an appeal.”
Mr Barber added: “Following these representations as part of the normal review of such decisions and having taken legal advice on the appeal, it is clear that in my original suspension decision I was over reliant on the assessment made by the IOPC. My intention was, and remains, to ensure that the highest standards of conduct are maintained at every level of policing and to give the public reassurance in policing.
“Whilst the IOPC will continue their investigation, I am pleased to be able to reinstate the Chief Constable to continue his work leading Thames Valley Police. I have always had confidence in Jason Hogg as Chief Constable and I look forward to continuing working in partnership with him on behalf of communities in Thames Valley.”
The PCC reiterated that suspension was a “neutral act”,
He said: “The Chief Constable, as with all of us, is innocent unless proven otherwise, and it remains for the IOPC to conclude their investigation and I once again urge them to conclude it as quickly as possible.
“I have spoken to the Policing Minister about the implications for the Police Accountability Review and how the Government should clarify the powers of PCCs when acting in the wider public interest in such cases.
“Undoubtedly, the allegations and the suspension have created great uncertainty within Thames Valley Police. I am confident however that, building on the strong working relationship that we have developed over many years, the Chief Constable and I will continue to work closely to protect our communities across the Thames Valley by continuing to cut crime and catch more criminals.”
The investigation into the case started almost two years ago, in April 2023. And the alleged misconduct dates back to 2016, with the claims spanning a four year period up until 2020.
The claims centre around concerns that Mr Hogg and another senior Thames Valley Police officer failed to properly investigate allegations that a former senior TVP officer retained a “significant amount of sensitive police information” after they left the force.