Devon and Cornwall Taxpayers Foot Bill for Three Suspended Chiefs

Taxpayers spend a lot on police chiefs in Devon and Cornwall. It can reach £64,000 each month. The police force has a permanent and acting chief now. Both chiefs are suspended, yet they still get their full pay. An interim leader is currently in charge.

Alison Hernandez wants help from the government because she is frustrated with investigation delays. The probe involves Will Kerr, the chief constable, who was suspended in July 2023. The allegations are about historic sex offenses, but he says he did nothing wrong.

Jim Colwell was acting chief after Kerr’s suspension. Later, he was suspended in November. This suspension involves alleged misconduct. James Vaughan became interim chief in December and now leads the Devon and Cornwall Police.

The chief job pays £197,000. For three months, taxpayers paid three chiefs. These costs will appear in the 2024-25 accounts in May. Colwell is back to his deputy rank this month but is still suspended from duty.

The £64,000 monthly cost includes pensions and allowances. Colwell’s return to his lower deputy salary will reduce that cost. Hernandez’s office did not say how much it reduced the cost.

Delays in Kerr and Colwell’s cases frustrate Hernandez. The Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) investigates them. She wants commissioners to investigate these cases and control investigation timelines.

Hernandez contacted many people about Kerr’s case, including police watchdogs and government officials. The process has lasted twenty months. Kerr has been paid around £330,000 while suspended.

Hernandez is very annoyed by the drawn out investigation. Two chief constable salaries are costing the taxpayer. Resolving this issue is her top priority, and she appointed an interim chief to address the issue.

Households will spend £13.70 extra per year on police, funded by a council tax increase. The Devon and Cornwall Police and Crime Panel accepted this. This rise and a £6 million premium stop service cuts.

Officer numbers stay at 3,610, their highest. Extra patrols and open enquiry offices are planned. These offices are in Ivybridge, Tavistock, and Liskeard.

The police force must save £6.5 million next year, planning to reduce senior roles to do this. Frontline officers will replace them.

An allowance exists for Hernandez’s deputy, which would pay someone around £55,000. She hasn’t decided to refill the position. Her last appointee quit after five months.