Chief constable to retire after IPCC decision

Patrick Geenty has a case to answer for misconduct, according to the Independent Police Complaints Commission (IPCC), but will be allowed to retire.

The chief constable of Wiltshire Police was due to retire in May but reversed his decision and took unpaid leave to answer the allegations. He is accused of withholding information and misleading complainants in sexual abuse cases between 2008 and 2010 when he was an assistant chief constable.

The IPCC said a detective inspector and a detective constable also have a case to answer for misconduct. All three officers were served with gross misconduct notices in September 2014.

Police and crime commissioner for Wiltshire Angus Macpherson confirmed that as the IPCC concluded that the allegations do not amount to gross misconduct he has no intention of preventing Mr Geenty from retiring.

“There is no legal ground to do so, nor do I believe it is in the public interest to suspend him. The finding by the IPCC is of potential misconduct, not gross misconduct,” he said.

“He has reaffirmed that he will respond to any issues that arise if it is considered that there is a case to answer. Given that undertaking, his last day with Wiltshire Police will be June 28.”

Mr Macpherson also confirmed that the other two officers, one of whom had been suspended from his post and the other suspended from duty, have now had their suspensions lifted.

Mike Veale, previously the force’s deputy chief constable, was named as Mr Geenty’s replacement and took over as chief constable on June 1.