News / News Wire
Preferred new chief constable revealed
The current chief constable at Hampshire police is the preferred candidate to take over at Avon and Somerset following the resignation of Nick Gargan.
Andy Marsh has been chosen from four applicants by police and crime commissioner Sue Mountstevens after Gargan left over misconduct.
His appointment is subject to approval from the police and crime panel who are due to meet to discuss the move next Monday.
Marsh has been cheif constable at Hampshire Constabulary since 2013, having worked his way up through Avon and Somerset Constabulary and Wiltshire Constabulary. He has experience as commander for South Bristol and Somerset East.
He has served under Hampshire since 2010 and has been instrumental in implementing £80 million of savings, cutting 535 jobs and making the constabulary the fifth lowest cost force in the UK.
He is also an expert in police body cameras and was appointed the national policing lead for the new technology.
He said: “I’m thrilled to be the preferred candidate for Avon and Somerset Constabulary, a police force I joined in 1987 for which I was proud to serve and gain valuable policing experience in a range of different roles.
“Avon and Somerset is a good police force, I will work tirelessly with officers, staff and volunteers of the Constabulary to deliver excellent policing services to the communities within which my family and I live.”
Marsh was cleared of allegations of misconduct as chief of Hampshire police in 2014, when he was accused of mishandling an investigation into sex abuse at a special needs school.
Gargan quit his £175,000 post in October, following a £580,000 misconduct investigation which included the Independent Police Complaints Commission.
He was asked to resign by Mountstevens after being found guilty of eight counts of misconduct in office, including storing indecent images on his work mobile phone.
is needed now More than ever
Gargan has now taken up a temporary role with private security firm G4S.
Our top newsletters emailed directly to you
