Lincs: Police Top Cop Suspended

26 February 2013, 17:32

The temporary Chief Constable of Lincolnshire Police, Neil Rhodes has been suspended over "matters of conduct."

In a statement to Heart the Police and Crime Commissioner for Lincolnshire Alan Hardwick says he has: "Been made aware of potential conduct matters involving the Temporary Chief Constable of Lincolnshire Police, Neil Rhodes.

The Commissioner can confirm that Mr Rhodes has been suspended from duty while investigations are being considered. It should be emphasised that suspension is a neutral act and it should not be inferred from the decision to suspend that the potential conduct matters have been proven. Following consultation with the Independent Police Complaints Commission (IPCC), the matters in question have been referred to them.

The Commissioner has appointed Deputy Chief Constable Alec Wood as Acting Chief Constable of Lincolnshire Police with immediate effect."

Mr Rhodes took over as temporary head of Lincolnshire Police when former Chief Constable Richard Crompton retired in March last year.

When he welcomed the then newly-elected Mr Hardwick to the force's headquarters last November, Mr Rhodes said his priority was to work with the commissioner to stabilise the number of officers on the streets.

Having joined Lincolnshire Police as a constable in 1986, Mr Rhodes also worked in senior roles in Humberside and Cumbria before being appointed as Deputy Chief Constable of Lincolnshire in November 2008.

A spokesman for the IPCC told Heart: "We have received information today from the Lincolnshire Police Crime Commissioner in relation to a potential conduct matter concerning the force's temporary Chief Constable, Neil Rhodes.

We are presently considering the information. The IPCC is not at this stage formally investigating."