Lincolnshire’s Police Commissioner has been reprimanded for leaking confidential details about the hiring of a new chief constable.
Marc Jones sent several text messages about the recruitment process, which took place in 2020, including details he wasn’t allowed to share, writes Local Democracy Reporter Jamie Waller.
He also used “strong language” in the messages to criticise some members of the Police and Crime Panel who were involved in it, particularly the chair.
The panel, which holds the police commissioner to account, has investigated a complaint about the messages, and has told Mr Jones to carry out further training.
The police commissioner has expressed regret for sending the messages, according to a report published by the panel.
Councillor Graham Marsh,vice chair of the panel, said: “We are disappointed in the conduct of the PCC in relation to these complaints and understandably, this will knock residents’ confidence in Lincolnshire’s Police and Crime Commissioner.
“Having followed the necessary process and exhausted the options available to us, a resolution has been reached. Mr Jones must now undertake further Code of Conduct training.
“As the role of Police and Crime Commissioners is set to change in the coming years, we are keen for future scrutiny bodies to be given more powers to deal with unacceptable behaviour in office.”
A further complaint that Mr Jones wasn’t transparent with the Independent Office of Police Conduct was deemed to be outside the panel’s authority.
The IOPC previously looked into the matter in 2023, and decided not to refer the matter to the CPS.
Another allegation was made that Mr Jones had a relationship with a police colleague who was appointed to a senior position at a salary double the previous office holder’s.
Mr Jones strongly denies there was a relationship, and says all procedures were followed on the salary rise. No further action was recommended, the Police and Crime Panel report found.
The complaint was originally made to the panel in February 2025.
Mr Jones, who has served as PCC as a Conservative since 2016, announced he had left the party this week to become an Independent.
The panel’s report, published on Friday, January 9, says: “Mr Jones accepted that he shouldn’t have sent the text messages containing information concerning a confidential recruitment process that he was involved with in his capacity as the Police and Crime Commissioner.
“He regretted the ‘strong’ language used to describe some of the Panel members involved in that process, most particularly the Chair. Mr Jones expressed regret for sending these messages and, on reflection, accepts that he could have dealt with the situation differently.”
Mr Jones told the Local Democracy Reporting Service: “I’m a bit baffled by this, to be honest. It relates to a matter from some years ago and, as the report confirms, both substantive allegations were dismissed without fault on my part.
“Furthermore, I offered to take up some voluntary training to ensure no future errors can happen regarding technical breaches of the code of conduct.
“The comments from a Conservative member of the panel seem to bear little resemblance to the facts set out in the report.
“As far as I’m concerned this matter was appropriately resolved some time ago.”
The purpose of the previous IOPC report in 2023 was to see whether the case should be passed to the Criminal Prosecution Service. Its report stated: “The decision maker agreed that Mr Jones may not have been completely open or sufficiently clear in some of his dealings.’ however they felt the issues was ‘more appropriate to be considered by the PCP, as part of their review and scrutiny role, rather than by a criminal court’.
