Special hearing to decide fate of police chief in misconduct case

Grahame Maxwell, who heads the North Yorkshire force, faces a hearing set to last at least a week into allegations that he unfairly helped a relative during a recruitment process last year.

It is thought to be the first time in 35 years that a British chief constable has faced such a disciplinary action and the hearing will represent a watershed for North Yorkshire Police which has become embroiled in a series of inquiries into the conduct of its deputy and chief constable over the last year.

Mr Maxwell has declined to comment but he is contesting all the allegations.

A four-strong panel chaired by Joanna Greenberg QC will hear evidence from a variety of witnesses, including Mr Maxwell, and decide what sanctions he should face if all or part of the case against him is proven.

It is understood Mr Maxwell faces five counts of breaching police conduct regulations with potentially the most significant focusing on honesty and integrity. The panel, which also includes a representative of HM Inspectorate of Constabulary, a lay nominee and a member of North Yorkshire Police Authority, will first have to decide whether any of the counts are upheld and, if so, whether any breach – or combination of breaches – is serious enough to warrant a finding of gross misconduct.

The panel, instituted after the police authority ruled there was a potential case for gross misconduct to answer, could also decide any breaches only warrant a finding of misconduct which would diminish any potential sanction.

The case revolves around a recruitment exercise last spring which collapsed into chaos after the force’s phone system crashed when it was deluged by calls from applicants.

North Yorkshire planned to recruit 60 new police officers and intended to restrict applications to the first 1,000 suitable callers. But the force received around 350,000 calls, the vast majority being unable to get through.

The force then launched a call-back exercise after a list of a small number who had managed to leave details was compiled. It was later found that a relative of Mr Maxwell and a relative of deputy chief constable Adam Briggs were called, which prompted an inquiry overseen by the Independent Police Complaints Commission (IPCC).

Mr Briggs faced misconduct allegations over his role in the affair and had two of six counts against him upheld in December. The two upheld were failing “to challenge and report improper conduct” and “discreditable conduct” for which he received a sanction of “management advice”. Mr Briggs retired from the force in February shortly after a dispute with the police authority over a separate investigation into how he spent £10,000 on “executive coaching”.

Three other police staff were investigated over attempts to unfairly influence the recruitment process. Two civilian workers were sacked and a police constable received a final written warning.

North Yorkshire ultimately ended up scrapping the recruitment plans because of the financial cuts hitting the police service.

An IPCC spokesman said: “We can confirm that a hearing examining a case of gross misconduct against Grahame Maxwell, Chief Constable of North Yorkshire, will begin on Monday. At the request of North Yorkshire Police Authority the IPCC does not intend to disclose the venue of the hearing. The outcome of the hearing will be published.”