Cambridgeshire PCC steps down following referral to IOPC
Cambridgeshire’s police and crime commissioner (PCC) Jason Ablewhite has resigned after he was referred to the Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC).
The reasons for the referral are not known.
Mr Ablewhite, who announced his resignation today (November 11), was a former Conservative leader of Huntingdonshire District Council and became PCC in 2016.
A spokesperson from the Office of the PCC said: “A referral has been made to the IOPC. Jason Ablewhite has today tendered his resignation as PCC for Cambridgeshire and Peterborough. It would be inappropriate for us to make any further comment.”
A spokesperson for the IOPC said it had “started an independent investigation following a referral about a public complaint into the conduct of the police and crime commissioner for Cambridgeshire. The investigation is in its early stages and it is too soon to speculate on the outcome.”
Mr Ablewhite has been attempting to take over governance of the county’s fire and rescue service but faced a series of legal challenges from the fire authority, which wants to remain independent.
Prior to his election he was criticised for discriminatory remarks made in private Facebook messages dating back to 2010. Mr Ablewhite said the messages, which included references to ‘pikeys’ and asylum seekers, were merely “banter” among friends.
