THE Chief Constable of Devon & Cornwall Police, who had been suspended from duty, has retired.

Chief Constable Will Kerr took up the role in late 2022, but was suspended in July 2023 after an investigation was launched into claims made against him.

Earlier this year, Northern Ireland's Public Prosecution Service confirmed that Mr Kerr would not be prosecuted over allegations of sexual offending and misact during his time with the force in Northern Ireland.

However, Mr Kerr remained suspended from duty due to another, unrelated investigation by the Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC).

In a statement, Mr Kerr said: ‘Having been cleared in relation to what I believe were malicious criminal allegations in Northern Ireland, I have decided that it's now in the best interests of my family and the Force that I retire as Chief Constable.

‘After nearly 36 years of public service, this is not the way I would have chosen to retire but the force, and communities across Devon, Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly, deserve stable leadership in policing’.

Police and crime commissioner for Devon & Cornwall, Alison Hernandez, said: ‘I have now agreed Mr Kerr's departure from the force to allow processes for new and stable leadership to take Devon and Cornwall Police forward as this is now in the best interests of all parties’.

‘Mr Kerr’s skills and experience will be a loss to UK policing. I remain frustrated at the amount of time this investigation has taken and the way that cross jurisdictional issues have lengthened the process during separate investigations by the Police Service of Northern Ireland, Police Ombudsman for Northern Ireland and now the IOPC.

‘His departure does not signal guilt, but instead a deep appreciation of the need for Devon & Cornwall Police to move forward with stable leadership from a substantive Chief Constable.

James Vaughan will continue as Interim Chief Constable until a new recruitment process is complete, Ms Hernandez confirmed.

In accordance with police misconduct regulations, the investigations will continue, Ms Hernandez added.