A POLICE Commissioner will not face criminal charges following a lengthy investigation into perks he received while Deputy Chief Constable of Cleveland Police.

Ron Hogg welcomed the publication of the report but criticised the length of time it took to exonerate him after he received more than £17,000 in bonus payments and was gifted a Range Rover on his retirement from the force.

Responding to the Independent Police Complaints Commission (IPCC) report, the Durham Police and Crime Commissioner said: “I am pleased that this report has now been published, but must condemn the unacceptable delays involved in both the investigation and publication process. I have been exonerated and can now finally put this matter to rest.”

The report revealed today (Tuesday, September 15) that Mr Hogg was given a £20,000 Range Rover when he left the Cleveland force in 2008.

The former Deputy Chief Constable of Cleveland, who served under sacked Chief Constable Sean Price, also received two bonus payments of £7,500 and £9,916 during his time in the position.

An IPCC spokesman said its report did not reach any conclusions, but will be passed to the Durham Police and Crime Panel, which oversees Mr Hogg in his elected position as PCC.

He said: “These were serious allegations against a holder of public office. Whenever public funds are used to reward holders of high office there needs to be proper scrutiny. It was important it was independently investigated. Our investigation has been thorough and identified no evidence that justified any criminal charges against Mr Hogg.”

The Crown Prosecution Service has already decided Mr Hogg will not face criminal charges.

Mr Hogg told investigators he believed the bonuses were legal because they had been approved by the Cleveland Police Authority, but that he was “shocked and surprised” by the decision to give him the car, which he almost immediately sold for £11,700.

The report showed former Chief Constable Mr Price and the former chairman of Cleveland Police Authority (CPA) Dave McLuckie did not respond to letters requesting their co-operation during the investigation which was launched in 2013.

It also revealed that former chief executive of CPA Joe McCarthy, the former deputy chief executive Julie Leng and former force solicitor Caroline Llewellyn failed to assist the investigation.

Although Mr Hogg broke no laws accepting the Range Rover he was given by the force, the final paragraph of the 48-page report reads: "On the balance of probabilities therefore, it is reasonable to conclude that this payment was made outside of the provisions of the PNB (Police Negotiating Board) agreement. Also that this should have been evident to Mr Hogg because of his knowledge of the scheme."

A Cleveland Police spokeswoman said: “We note the content of this report and can assure our communities that, within Cleveland Police, both chief officer pay and the provision of vehicles are in line with the relevant regulations which govern police pay.”