Devon's top cop stays on

16 months more for chief constable

The interim chief constable of Devon and Cornwall Police is staying on for another 16 months after agreeing a contract extension with the police and crime commissioner.

James Vaughan took on the role in an interim basis in December 2024 following the suspension of the then acting chief constable Jim Colwell at a time when the permanent one, Will Kerr, was also suspended whilst a separate investigation was conducted.

Mr Kerr retired last month without returning to work. Mr Colwell is back at his desk in his substantive role of deputy chief constable.

Last week the force was taken out of special measures by His Majesty’s Inspectorate of Constabulary and Fire & Rescue Services. 

Commissioner Alison Hernandez said the force and the residents of Devon, Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly would now benefit from a much-needed period of stability.

 She said: “I have been really pleased to see how Chief Constable Vaughan has tackled head-on several legacy issues from the period of unstable leadership that preceded his appointment.  

“In particular, I have welcomed his decision to reduce the number of senior ranks to enable more officers to be out in the community where council taxpayers can really feel the benefit and get better value for their money."

Mr Vaughan said: “It is a personal privilege to be asked by the commissioner to stay on in my role. I have really enjoyed leading this fantastic organisation for the last eight months and seeing the great work officers, staff and volunteers do every day to keep our communities safe. 

“Despite some challenging times we have made considerable progress over the last few years and that is testament to the hard work of everyone in the Force. Working closely with the PCC and our partners I am confident that we will continue to improve the service we offer across Devon, Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly.” 

The process to recruit a substantive chief constable is due to begin in the summer of 2026.