Rod Hansen, the chief constable of Gloucestershire Police, will step down at the end of July 2026 as his contract will not be renewed by Police and Crime Commissioner Chris Nelson. Hansen, who has denied any wrongdoing, has been suspended on full pay for nearly two years and is currently awaiting a gross misconduct hearing.
The suspension dates back to October 2024, when Commissioner Nelson suspended Hansen following allegations related to a data breach. An investigation by the Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) concluded nearly a year ago that Hansen should face a gross misconduct hearing for allegedly failing to properly address a report of a data breach.
Specifically, it is alleged that Hansen did not take appropriate action after receiving information in October 2022 concerning a staff member suspected of conducting an unauthorized search of police computer systems. This search reportedly involved accessing personal data of third parties in connection with a road traffic collision. Additionally, Hansen is accused of providing a false or misleading statement during the investigation of this data breach.
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Hansen was cleared in March 2026 of separate allegations related to his involvement in the recruitment of a police staff member, with the investigation finding he had no case to answer.
Chief constables in Gloucestershire are appointed on fixed five-year terms. Hansen originally assumed the role in May 2017, with his initial contract set to expire in 2022. In 2020, he received a five-year extension from then-Police and Crime Commissioner Martin Surl. Hansen was also awarded the Queen’s Police Medal for distinguished service to policing during his tenure.
The Office of the Police and Crime Commissioner has confirmed that Chris Nelson will not renew Hansen’s contract upon its expiration this month. The misconduct hearing, which began on July 16, 2026, was adjourned for legal reasons and is not expected to resume until December at the earliest.
In the interim, Maggie Blyth, appointed in October 2024, is serving as the force’s temporary chief constable. A transparent recruitment process will be conducted to appoint a permanent chief constable.