Devon & Cornwall Police making good progress

Devon and Cornwall Police has officially been removed from the highest level of external monitoring by the policing watchdog, following nearly two years of close scrutiny.

The Force was placed under the 'Engage' phase by His Majesty’s Inspectorate of Constabulary and Fire & Rescue Services (HMICFRS) in October 2022, after serious concerns were raised about how it managed sex offenders, answered calls from the public, and recorded crimes. Investigating crime was later added as a further area of concern.

In a letter to Chief Constable James Vaughan and Police and Crime Commissioner Alison Hernandez, HM Chief Inspector of Constabulary Sir Andy Cooke praised the Force for making “good progress” and said he was reassured by the plans in place to continue improving.

Chief Constable Vaughan welcomed the news, calling it a “testament to the hard work” of officers and staff. “We know we still have work to do in crime recording and investigation standards,” he said. “But this shows we’re heading in the right direction.”

Since entering Engage, the Force has made key improvements:

• In January 2023, it was formally cleared of concerns around how it manages violent and sexual offenders, ensuring national standards are met.

• In September 2024, it was discharged from concerns around answering emergency and non-emergency calls, with improvements made to 101 call abandonment rates.

• Today, it has officially exited the Engage process.

However, HMICFRS says it will continue to monitor the Force’s progress on two remaining areas: crime recording and how investigations are carried out.

Inspectors noted improvements, including better understanding of crime recording principles and the introduction of investigation plans and supervisor reviews. They also praised new tools to support victims and the launch of an Investigation Academy to train officers.

Police and Crime Commissioner Alison Hernandez described the announcement as “good news” and said it reflected the dedication of police officers and staff. “There’s still work to do, but this is an important step forward under the strong leadership of Chief Constable Vaughan,” she said.