The interim Chief Constable of Devon & Cornwall Police has agreed to stay on in the top job for another 16 months.

Chief Constable James Vaughan QPM was appointed in December 2024 after the suspension of the then Acting Chief Constable Jim Colwell.

And now, following the recent retirement of Chief Constable Will Kerr, the Commissioner has extended Mr Vaughan’s contract to January 2027.

Mr Kerr was suspended shortly after he joined the Devon and Cornwall Police as chief constable in 2023 over “serious allegations of sexual offences” which he has always strenuously denied .

It was not until April this year that the Public Prosecution Service (PPS) in Northern Ireland confirmed it was not going to prosecute Mr Kerr with regards to the allegations.

Meanwhile Jim Colwell, the deputy chief constable brought in to cover for Mr Kerr, was also suspended in November for alleged “professional standards breaches”.

He has recently returned to duties as deputy having been given a written warning after a hearing determined he breached the force’s “notifiable associations” policy.

It is understood he failed to declare that he had exchanged messages with a journalist on social media.

Commissioner 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, and she was looking forward to seeing further improvements under Mr Vaughan’s leadership.

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.

“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.”

Chief Constable James 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.”