Nick Gargan

Nicholas "Nick" Gargan is a former chief constable in England, who now runs his own consultancy company, Nick Gargan Consulting.

He was appointed chief constable of Avon and Somerset Constabulary in March 2013, and immediately embarked upon an ambitious, and (in some quarters) controversial programme of reform. In May 2014, he was suspended because of allegations made by whistleblowers of inappropriate behaviour and comments towards female officers and staff. The ensuing disciplinary panel found him guilty of eight counts of misconduct but recommended that he be reinstated. Following the intervention of the Police and Crime Commissioner, he resigned from his post in October 2015.

Early life Gargan studied French and politics at the University of Leicester.

Career Gargan joined Leicestershire Police in 1988 under the Graduate Entry Scheme, before transferring to Thames Valley Police in 2006.

Suspension In mid-May 2014, Gargan was suspended by Police and Crime Commissioner Sue Mountstevens, as a result of allegations of 'inappropriate behaviour towards female officers and staff'. The enquiry into the allegations was referred to the Independent Police Complaints Commission (IPCC). However, there was vocal local resistance to the idea of Gargan returning to work: the Police Federation of England and Wales issued a statement questioning whether the public could have "confidence in his leadership" following the guilty findings of the misconduct case, and a petition was set up campaigning for his resignation. Three former Chief Constables of Avon & Somerset Police called for his resignation on 6 August 2015 saying “Leadership should be inspiring and not an embarrassment.”

Ultimately, it was felt that the duration of Gargan's suspension made his position untenable. On 16 October 2015, Gargan resigned from Avon and Somerset Constabulary. He was awarded three months' salary in lieu of notice.

Over the course of Gargan's suspension and immediately following his resignation a number of local MPs questioned the handling of the situation, the length of time the investigation took (at considerable expense to the tax-payers of Avon and Somerset), and the way the local media, and social media, contributed to the ending of his career in policing, calling the process a "witch-hunt" and "trial by media". The issue was the subject of a House of Commons Debate called by the MP for North East Somerset Jacob Rees-Mogg on 29 October 2015. There was also suspicion that the allegations and public campaign against Gargan had been orchestrated by elements within Avon and Somerset and more widely across policing who resented his leadership style. The case is seen to have highlighted weaknesses and risks within the current legislation that defines the respective roles and responsibilities of PCCs and chief constables, as well as raising questions about the remit and competence of the IPCC, as detailed in a blog by Gavin Hales, deputy director of criminal justice think-tank The Police Foundation.

Post-police career Gargan took up a four-month contract with the global security company G4S in December 2015, as a programme director in its justice health division. He subsequently established Nick Gargan Consulting. As of 2021, he is a board member at Enlighten.Org. Gargan was stripped of his Queen's Police Medal in 2017 by the Honours Forfeiture Committee for disreputable conduct.

Honours

2012 New Year Honours List Revoked on 4 December 2017