A senior Hertfordshire police officer facing a misconduct hearing today (Friday, February 6) can now be named as Chief Superintendent Matthew Thompson.
Ch Supt Thompson was previously referred to only as Officer Z after he applied for anonymity in press reporting.
He has now been named following a representation submitted by the Local Democracy Reporting Service and the editors of nine newspapers and news websites across Hertfordshire.
Ch Supt Thompson is alleged to have been “untruthful” to his line manager about a personal relationship, to have “neglected to complete” appropriate procedures about that relationship and to have “neglected to report or otherwise act upon serious safeguarding concerns” relating to the other person in the relationship.
The hearing, which is set to last six days, will determine on the balance of probabilities whether Ch Supt Thompson’s alleged actions amount to gross misconduct.
Members of the press argued in their representation that if anonymity had been granted to Ch Supt Thompson it could have undermined public confidence in the disciplinary process and in policing more broadly.
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