Devon & Cornwall Police Chief Constable to remain in post until 2027

Devon & Cornwall Police’s interim Chief Constable James Vaughan QPM will remain at the helm for another 16 months, following an agreement with Police and Crime Commissioner Alison Hernandez. His contract has been extended until January 2027, providing what the Commissioner described as “a much-needed period of stability” for the force and the communities it serves.

Mr Vaughan, a former Chief Constable of Wiltshire Police, was appointed to the interim role in December 2024 after the suspension of Acting Chief Constable Jim Colwell. His tenure was further extended following the recent retirement of substantive Chief Constable Will Kerr.

The announcement comes shortly after the force was removed from the 'Engage' stage of monitoring, widely referred to as “special measures”, by His Majesty’s Inspectorate of Constabulary and Fire & Rescue Services. The force had been under increased scrutiny due to concerns over performance, but inspectors cited improvements under Mr Vaughan’s leadership as a key reason for lifting the status.

Commissioner Hernandez praised the interim Chief Constable’s decisive approach:

“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.

“It’s so important that Mr Vaughan and I take a unified approach in delivering my Police and Crime Plan priorities. I have been delighted to work closely with him and stand side by side at events including my recent VAWG Disruptive Ideas workshop that aims to tackle violence against women and girls, and Councillor Advocate seminar on the serious violence work taking place across the peninsula.

“I look forward to the coming 16 months which I am confident will see more good work and continued improvement under Mr Vaughan’s experienced leadership.”

Mr Vaughan said he was honoured to continue in the role:

“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.”

Deputy Chief Constable Jim Colwell has now returned to his substantive role and resumed duties. Recruitment for a permanent Chief Constable will begin in summer 2026, with the successful candidate expected to take up the post in early 2027.

More information on the Chief Constable appointment process can be found at: https://devonandcornwall-pcc.gov.uk/clarification-over-how-police-crime-commissioners-appoint-chief-constables