Northamptonshire Police stand-in chief cost £19k for 33 days

Temporary police boss Paul Gibson cost more than £19,000 for 33 days' work

A temporary police chief cost £19,316 for the 33 days he spent in the post, draft accounts showed.

Paul Gibson led Northamptonshire Police from 27 February until 31 March while Nick Adderley temporarily retired.

The retirement was to make sure Mr Adderley would not be penalised by pension rules regarding a new contract.

Dr Gibson, who received a chief constable pay rate plus National Insurance and pension contributions, declined to comment.

A force spokesperson said Mr Adderley was not paid while his post was covered.

Mr Adderley returned to lead the force on 1 April for an initial two-and-a-half year term, on a £165,000 a year salary.

Northamptonshire's police, fire and crime commissioner Stephen Mold enabled the retirement deal

The county's police, fire and crime commissioner, Stephen Mold, told the Local Democracy Reporting Service that Dr Gibson received the appropriate remuneration for the role.

"Paul Gibson was the right person, he made an enormous contribution and dealt with some significant issues including serious disciplinary matters and a tragic murder in Northampton," he said.

Dr Gibson is the deputy chief constable for the East Midlands Special Operations Unit (EMSOU) dealing with organised crime groups.

It is a partnership between forces in Derbyshire, Leicestershire, Lincolnshire, Northamptonshire and Nottinghamshire.

Chief constable Nick Adderley took a brief retirement so he was not penalised on his police pension

Mr Mold's office said Dr Gibson was paid a salary equivalent to 33 days of £155,000 pro rata and received National Insurance and pension contributions.

The figure was provided by Derbyshire Police, which is his employer.

During his time in Northamptonshire, Dr Gibson had to oversee misconduct hearings.

They included the case of a former sergeant, Richard Hall, who slapped a colleague's bottom at a wedding and tried to lick a colleague's face at a Christmas party.

The draft accounts, available on Northamptonshire Police's website, showed Mr Adderley was paid a salary of £146,771 in 2022-23.