A top police officer and former hostage negotiator, has been temporarily removed from his duties amidst allegations of gross misconduct. The Office of the Police and Crime Commissioner has relayed to the Local Democracy Reporting Service that Gloucestershire's top police officer, Chief Constable Rod Hansen, is now under suspension.

An inquiry into the accusations against Hansen will be conducted by the Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC). Chris Nelson, the Police and Crime Commissioner, has disclosed that the IOPC is delving into a supposed violation of professional conduct standards.

Nelson has taken the step to suspend Hansen while the investigation is ongoing. He also mentioned that efforts are underway to appoint an acting chief constable to steer the force during this period.

Mr Nelson stated: "Earlier today, the Independent Office of Police Conduct (IOPC) informed Chief Constable Rod Hansen that it is investigating an alleged breach of standards of professional behaviour."

"I have decided to suspend Mr Hansen from his role with Gloucestershire Constabulary pending the outcome of this investigation. I will emphasise that the decision to suspend is a neutral act. It has no bearing on any indication of guilt and should not be seen as such.", reports Gloucestershire Live.

"I have spoken to His Majesty's Chief Inspector of Constabulary, Andy Cooke, after taking this decision. The Executive Board will provide continuity for the organisation."

The force is scrambling to secure leadership as the Gloucestershire Constabulary is rocked by scandal: "My team and I are now working with other colleagues in policing to nationally identify a temporary Chief Constable who can lead Gloucestershire Constabulary during this period."

The drama unfolds amid concerns of trust within the county's law enforcement, as the police crime commissioner admits, "I know that this will come as a shock to many in the county, especially to our hardworking officers and staff, and to our partner organisations, but it is right that any allegations are dealt with consistently and investigated properly, thoroughly and swiftly. I have every confidence that the IOPC will do exactly that."

To maintain public order, they assert, "It will be up to the IOPC to lead on any communication about the investigation that it considers necessary."

Amidst this chaos, a bold guarantee aims to assure the public of continued safety and law enforcement: "In the meantime, I would like to assure residents and criminals alike that the Constabulary will be operating as normal, keeping our residents safe, and preventing and detecting crime."

The Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) steps into the spotlight with a spokesperson delineating the scope of the inquiry: "We can confirm we are investigating conduct allegations against the Chief Constable of Gloucestershire Constabulary, Rod Hansen. The investigation follows a referral in August from the Office of the Police and Crime Commissioner for Gloucestershire."

The spotlight on Hansen intensifies as the IOPC delivers a bombshell, revealing the issuance of a gross misconduct notice over potential policy breaches: "An IOPC spokesperson said the investigation concerns his handling of an allegation against a member of staff and whether relevant policies and procedures were followed. They have today served a gross misconduct notice on the Chief Constable to advise him his conduct is subject to an investigation. This notice does not necessarily mean any disciplinary proceedings will follow," they said.

"The investigation concerns his handling of an allegation against a member of staff, and whether relevant policies and procedures were subsequently followed. We have today (Monday) served a gross misconduct notice on the Chief Constable to advise him his conduct is subject to investigation. Such a notice does not necessarily mean any disciplinary proceedings will follow. Our investigation is ongoing."

Mr Hansen joined the constabulary as deputy chief constable in May 2013 and took the top job in May 2017. He is the 16th in the Constabulary's history.

Before joining, Mr Hansen received education in England, Canada and Ireland, eventually earning a degree in geography and geology.

He was part of the Special Air Service's A Squadron (V) before embarking on his career at Avon and Somerset Constabulary, policing South Gloucestershire over 34 years ago. During this period, he has held various roles ranging from patrol inspector in central Bristol to District Commander for Bath and North East Somerset.

His other assignments included leading the force surveillance team and reviewing child protection arrangements. He later played a key role in establishing a ten-year joint venture company delivering enabling services to three public sector organisations, including the Constabulary.

As a seasoned investigator, he has probed fatalities in two other forces and held key roles in serious and organised crime investigations. Mr Hansen also boasts experience as a strategic firearms commander, having overseen more than 300 firearms incidents and served as a national assessor for this specialism for numerous years.

Since 1998, Mr Hansen has been a hostage negotiator and for several years was the South West Regional Co-ordinator for negotiating. He directed the regional negotiators course and in October 2003, trained Greek police service negotiators in preparation for the 2004 Olympic Games in Athens.

In 2010, he founded the International Police Response Cadre (IPRC), a team of specially trained police officers working in tandem with the military, ready to deploy at short notice to high threat locations worldwide. This included aiding British overseas territories affected by hurricanes and the ensuing humanitarian crises.

Mr Hansen has also served as the Chief Police Advisor to the military Joint Task Force Headquarters (JTFHQ) and was part of a multi-agency team of non-military advisors working closely with colleagues from the Stabilisation Unit, Department for International Development, Foreign and Commonwealth Office and various volunteer and charitable groups such as the International Red Cross.

Rod Hansen has demonstrated a multifaceted career, marked by his strategic involvement in international missions such as formulating part of the United Nations plan in Somalia to bolster security throughout the Horn of Africa and supporting flood relief in Kenya. He played a crucial role in swiftly establishing UK police support to aid British forces during the tumultuous evacuation from Libya.

With a commitment to policing specialities that extends back to 2012, Mr Hansen has capably held the position of National Police Chiefs' Council lead for mounted policing and has formerly led on police dog operations. Presently, he is at the forefront of aviation in policing, coordinating helicopters, fixed-wing aircraft, and drone deployment in law enforcement.

A dedicated Shotokan Karate fifth Dan instructor, Rod additionally dedicates time to training and teaching within the Constabulary.

Since taking up the mantle of Chief Constable in Gloucestershire, Rod Hansen has been heralded for implementing pioneering leadership and well-being initiatives that have revolutionised the organisational ethos with national academic commentators branding the impact "astonishing". Moreover, his vision for community building materialised through a unique self-leadership programme which came to fruition in 2018, targeting youth empowerment across the county.

However, amidst these accolades, recent developments reveal that the Office of the Police and Crime Commissioner has now confirmed Mr Hansen's suspension.