A criminal investigation into suspended Devon & Cornwall Police Chief Constable Will Kerr has been dropped, according to Devon and Cornwall Police and Crime Commissioner Alison Hernandez.
Will Kerr was suspended from duty in July 2023 just seven months after being appointed to lead Devon & Cornwall Police. An investigation over allegations of sexual offences, which he denies, had been under way for several months by the time of his suspension.
The investigation was begun by the Police Service of Northern Ireland, in which Will Kerr served for 27 years, before being taken over by the Police Ombudsman for Northern Ireland in June 2023.
In May last year the investigation was passed to the Public Prosecution Service for Northern Ireland, which said last week that a decision had been taken “not to prosecute one individual reported in connection with offences including allegations of sexual offending and misconduct in public office”.
It added that it had been concluded that the available evidence was “insufficient to provide a reasonable prospect of conviction for any offence”.
It is understood that an investigation by the Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) into misconduct allegations against Will Kerr, which was paused pending the outcome of the Public Prosecution Service for Northern Ireland investigation, will now resume.
Devon and Cornwall Police and Crime Commissioner Alison Hernandez has confirmed that Will Kerr will remain suspended while the IOPC conducts its investigation.
Suspended Devon and Cornwall Police Chief Constable Will Kerr.
Photo: Office of the Police and Crime Commissioner.
Acting Devon & Cornwall Police Chief Constable Jim Colwell was appointed to lead the force on a temporary basis following Will Kerr’s suspension 21 months ago, but was suspended in turn in November last year following allegations of “professional standards breaches”.
The IOPC confirmed it had opened an investigation into his conduct.
James Vaughan was then appointed as interim Devon & Cornwall Police Chief Constable in December, making him the force’s third chief constable in eighteen months.
The Devon and Cornwall Police and Crime Commissioner’s office last month confirmed that the cost of paying the three chief constables currently employed by Devon & Cornwall Police is £63,913 per month – equating to £767,000 a year including allowances and pension costs.
The Police and Crime Commissioner said she has sought financial support from the Home Office towards the force’s extra costs.
Following confirmation that the criminal investigation into Will Kerr had been dropped, Alison Hernandez said her office would “await further instructions” from the IOPC on “any potential misconduct matters which may still need their oversight”.
She added: “The leadership of Devon and Cornwall Police remains under the stewardship of Mr Vaughan until any outstanding matters are concluded.”
