Acting chief constable cleared after complaint

Ivan Balhatchet has been the acting chief constable since October 2023

A police watchdog investigating a complaint from a member of the public about an acting chief constable "found no indication of misconduct".

The Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) began an investigation earlier this month after an allegation regarding the electoral register was made against Ivan Balhatchet, acting chief constable for Northamptonshire Police.

Mr Balhatchet's temporary promotion came in October 2023 after the chief constable, Nick Adderley, was suspended.

The IOPC said: “Our investigation has found no evidence the senior officer had been deliberately registered at more than one address for the purposes of attempting electoral fraud."

"Our investigation into the matter, which was carried out in line with applicable law and policy, has now closed.”

A spokesperson for the Northamptonshire Police, Fire and Crime Commissioner said the IOPC had "found no indication of misconduct".

They said: "We are very grateful to the IOPC for the independent investigation and have considered its report.

"The matter is now closed and [the] commissioner will not be taking any further action."

Mr Balhatchet joined Northamptonshire Police in 2000 before moving to the Metropolitan Police in 2016.

He returned to the county's force in 2022, where he became deputy chief constable.

Mr Adderley was dismissed in June after it emerged he had misrepresented his military service. Mr Balhatchet has remained in the chief constable role ever since.

The IOPC spokesperson said it had contacted the relevant local authority as part of its investigation into the allegation.

They said the authority stated it could "confidently conclude" the second registration identified in the 2002/2003 register of electors was owing to an administrative error which happened when "registrations were hand inputted".

“In summary, our investigation has found no evidence that the senior officer had been deliberately registered at more than one address for the purposes of attempting electoral fraud," the spokesperson said.

Mr Adderley was sacked for lying about his military service