The Gloucestershire Police and Crime Panel met on Friday 20 March 2026 to discuss staff wellbeing, the Special Constabulary, and emergency services collaboration. The panel also received updates on the Police and Crime Commissioner's activities and the Chief Executive's report.

2025 Staff Wellbeing Survey Summary

Emma Burke, Gloucestershire Constabulary's Head of Occupational Health, presented the findings of the 2025 Staff Wellbeing Survey. The survey, commissioned by Oscar Kilo – the National Police Wellbeing Service, revealed a 49% response rate from Gloucestershire Constabulary staff. Key areas for improvement were identified as Enabling Support and Services, Organisational Climate, and Service Leadership. While overall wellbeing and engagement scores were close to the national benchmark, the survey highlighted challenges such as fatigue, emotional exhaustion, and a poor work-life balance among staff. Specific concerns were raised regarding lower-than-average scores in Service Leadership, which were attributed to the impact of recent decisions on Police Community Support Officers (PCSOs) and a general negative sentiment around policing in the media and on social media. The panel was assured that an action plan was being developed, with responsibility delegated to relevant areas of governance, and that the 2026 survey would be used to monitor progress. The Constabulary also committed to sharing a breakdown of survey respondents by staff type.

Special Constables Update

Chief Inspector James Wyatt provided an update on the Special Constabulary, supported by Deputy Chief Constable Katy Barrow-Grint and Police and Crime Commissioner Chris Nelson. Gloucestershire currently has 122 Special Constables (SC), with 15 new recruits. A review of the Special Constabulary conducted in September 2025 led to a temporary decrease in hours worked, but these have now returned to previous levels. The review's findings have informed a short-, medium-, and long-term plan for development, which is already being implemented. While the review's handling was acknowledged as a lesson to be learned, with a need for more consultative communication, the resulting recommendations have been widely supported by the SCs, evidenced by an increase in their hours. The panel was informed that resignation levels in 2025 were consistent with previous years, and Gloucestershire meets the national target of having Special Constabulary numbers equivalent to 10% of regular police officer numbers. Chief Inspector Wyatt agreed to investigate whether SCs had been used in Home Office Immigration Enforcement raids and to share the Special Constabulary's annual report with the panel.

Emergency Services Collaboration Board

Nick Evans, Deputy Police and Crime Commissioner, presented an update on the Emergency Services Collaboration (ESC) Board. He highlighted that the Policing and Crime Act 2017 mandates collaboration between emergency services. The OPCC took ownership of coordinating this collaboration in 2022, establishing governance arrangements to improve joint working. Achievements over the past three years include firefighters being trained as Lost Person Search Managers, joint work on the Serious Violence Duty, and collaborative road safety initiatives. Recent achievements in the last 12 months include the development of Operational Collaboration Events and joint training exercises. Challenges remain, including the need for consistent engagement and prioritisation from all partners, the impact of Local Government Reorganisation, Police Reform, and Devolution, and ongoing financial constraints. A recent Severn Bridges event has initiated conversations to improve cross-border ESC, and an estate review is underway to consider the expansion of Police Community Hubs.

Update from the Police and Crime Commissioner (PCC)

Police and Crime Commissioner Chris Nelson shared his biggest concerns regarding the abolition of Police and Crime Commissioners. He expressed that the primary risk is the potential for a lack of accountability within new Police and Crime Boards, which could lead to abuses of power. He stressed the importance of working with Gloucestershire County Council to ensure the effectiveness of these future boards.

Office of the Police and Crime Commissioner - Chief Executive Report

Ruth Greenwood, OPCC Chief Executive, provided an update on recent activities. She confirmed that the second investigation into Chief Constable Rod Hansen by the Independent Office of Police Conduct (IOPC) concluded with 'no case to answer'. However, the misconduct hearing for the first investigation into Chief Constable Hansen is scheduled for 16th-24th July 2026. Kirsten Fruin, OPCC Assistant Chief Executive for Victims and Commissioning, presented the first My Future Programme, a four-week pilot for 14-16 year olds involved in violence and excluded from school, aimed at preventing criminality. An evaluation is underway, with early positive outcomes including work experience offers and college courses. Regarding reducing reoffending, it was emphasised that this is a multi-agency effort, with the OPCC chairing several boards, including the Local Criminal Justice Board and the Combatting Drugs Partnership. The Commissioner also chairs the Prisoners Building Homes Programme, though its progress has been slower than anticipated. A lessons learned workshop following Chief Constable Hansen's gross misconduct hearing will be held after the legal process concludes.

Work Plan

No new items were added to the work plan during this meeting.