Devon’s era of ‘three police chiefs’ ends as cleared top cop says it is time to retire

The suspended Devon and Cornwall Chief Constable Will Kerr OBE KPM has announced his retirement, agreed by mutual consent with Police and Crime Commissioner Alison Hernandez.  

It brings to an end the saga of ‘three police chiefs’ with Mr Kerr suspended in July 2023, his replacement as acting chief Jim Colwell suspended in November 2024 – also since cleared – and now with Acting Chief  Constable James Vaughan holding the fort.

With the officers suspended on full pay, Commissioner Hernandez had previously said it was costing tax payers as much as £64,000 a month to employ three chiefs.

READ MORE: Three police chiefs cost taxpayers dearly

Mr Kerr took on the role in March 2023 but was suspended in July that year and has remained suspended ever since.

It followed allegations of misconduct said to have occurred when he was a former assistant chief constable of the Police Service of Northern Ireland, but in April this year the Public Prosecution Service (PPS) in Northern Ireland decided not to prosecute and the criminal investigation was dropped.

Mr Kerr still faces investigation by the Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) in England, which was Ms Hernandez’s office said today (July 23) was not related to the criminal allegations investigated in Northern Ireland.

READ MORE: Criminal investigation dropped against former Devon police chief

The former chief constable said today he believed the accusations in Northern Ireland were ‘malicious criminal allegations’ but said he had now decided it was in the best interests of his family and Devon and Cornwall Police that he retired.

He added: “After nearly 36 years of public service, this is not the way I would have chosen to retire but the force and communities across Devon, Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly, deserve stable leadership in policing. 

“I remain a strong advocate for effective accountability in policing, but that accountability process must be fair, timely and proportionate. Sadly, like too many other officers, that has not been my experience over the past two years. 

“I continue to wish all of the highly committed officers and staff in Devon and Cornwall Police well and despite the personal challenges of the past few years, I remain proud of the value of community-focussed policing and a firm supporter of the people within its ranks. 

“I would also like to thank PCC Alison Hernandez for her consistent support over the past two years and her commitment to fair and proportionate justice.”

Commissioner Hernandez said suspension from duty ‘is a neutral act’ and said there was always a presumption of innocence unless proven otherwise.

She said Mr Kerr’s departure from the force was ‘now in the best interests of all parties’ but echoed his comments about the time the various investigations had taken.

She added: “Mr Kerr’s skills and experience will be a loss to UK policing. I remain frustrated at the amount of time this investigation has taken and the way that cross jurisdictional issues have lengthened the process during separate investigations by the Police Service of Northern Ireland, Police Ombudsman for Northern Ireland and now the IOPC.

“His departure does not signal guilt, but instead a deep appreciation of the need for Devon and Cornwall Police to move forward with stable leadership from a substantive chief constable. 

“James Vaughan will continue as interim chief constable until a new recruitment process is complete. In accordance with police misconduct regulations, the investigations will continue.”

Meanwhile, former acting chief constable Jim Colwell has been found guilty of misconduct by a police disciplinary tribunal.

The current Deputy Chief Constable will continue in his role but has been given a written warning that will be in effect for 18 months after it was determined he breached the force’s ‘notifiable associations’ policy. It is understood this relates to failing to notify he had exchanged messages with a journalist.

DCC Colwell had already been cleared of claims he had used his mobile phone to send personal messages, with the police watchdog saying there was ‘no case to answer’.

READ MORE: Police watchdog says top-ranked Devon officer has ‘no case to answer’

Above: Deputy Chief Constable Jim Colwell is now back at work after being cleared of more serious misconduct allegations.