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Devon and Cornwall Police Force Looks to Reassess Priorities in New Year

Strategic Insights

— 2 min read

As Devon and Cornwall welcome their new Chief Constable, Will Kerr, the force is at a crossroads, looking to refocus on tackling the most pressing issues affecting local communities. With the police force's own survey revealing that anti-social behaviour, drug dealing, and road safety are the top concerns for residents, the new Chief Constable is committed to addressing these issues head-on. This comes after the police force's chief officer group, led by Deputy Chief Constable Jim Colwell, took over for six months while the top job was vacant. The force is also set to run focus groups to gain further insight into what matters most to residents.

Key Takeaways:

  • The new Chief Constable, Will Kerr, has a background in policing in Northern Ireland and Scotland, but has never served in England and was required to attest as an officer before taking the role.
  • The force has been led by Deputy Chief Constable Jim Colwell for six months while recruiting for the top job.
  • Residents have consistently identified anti-social behaviour, drug dealing, and road safety as top priorities for the police force through surveys and feedback.
  • Operation Scorpion, set up in response to concerns about drug use and dealing, resulted in almost 400 arrests in 2022.
  • The Vision Zero road safety partnership has brought together partners from air ambulance trusts to fire services to reduce the loss of life and injury caused by dangerous driving.
  • The police force has reopened four front desks at police stations, with two more planned, following a survey where 75% of residents supported the initiative.
  • The force is planning for a challenging financial year but thanks to community investment, the new Chief Constable will have more officers at his disposal than any previous Devon and Cornwall Police Chief Constable.

Statistics:

  • 1,000+ people have completed the annual survey to influence key decisions for the police force.
  • 50% of survey respondents mentioned anti-social behaviour and drug dealing as the police-related issues that most bother them.
  • 25% of survey respondents mentioned road traffic issues.
  • 75% of residents supported investing in reopening front desks at police stations.
  • 3,500+ responses have been received for the survey asking which front desks might be most used if more are opened.
  • 400 arrests were made as part of Operation Scorpion in 2022.
  • The new Chief Constable will have more officers than any previous Devon and Cornwall Police Chief Constable due to community investment.

Sources:

  • [www.devonandcornwallpcc.gov.uk]
  • [Survey by Devon and Cornwall Police]

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