The newly appointed Interim Chief Constable of Devon and Cornwall police has pledged to restore confidence in the police force.

James Vaughan took the position after the substantive Chief Constable and Acting Chief Constable were suspended pending separate investigations by the Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC).

Police and Crime Commissioner Alison Hernandez appointed former Dorset chief constable James Vaughan as interim Chief Constable for Devon & Cornwall Police on Friday, December 13 at the force’s headquarters in Exeter.

Chief Constable Vaughan said: “I am incredibly proud to be appointed to lead an organisation where officers and staff work hard to deliver community policing across two counties that have one of the lowest crime rates in the country, and I am committed to ensuring we continue to build on this foundation.

“My main priority over the coming months is to improve the orce’s performance in several key areas including crime data integrity and investigations standards. We know there are areas we need to do better, and I will work tirelessly, alongside officers and staff, to drive forward those areas of greatest concern. Together, we can rebuild trust and confidence, ensuring we remain transparent, accountable and focused on what matters most to our communities.

“Working alongside the Police and Crime Commissioner and her priorities set out in the Police and Crime Plan, I believe that our purpose of community policing delivered with competence, compassion and a common-sense approach remains the right one.”

CC Vaughan retired from Dorset Police in 2021 after nine years with the force where he was appointed as Chief Constable in 2018. While in the role he was the National Police Chiefs Council lead for forensic science and was awarded the Queen’s Police Medal in 2018.

Since being appointed in the role, the Chief Constable has visited police stations and departments across the force area to meet with officers and staff. He described the teams as “working hard to keep the communities safe”.

Police and Crime Commissioner Alison Hernandez said: “My team and I are working tirelessly to resolve the leadership challenges at Devon and Cornwall Police and I am delighted to have such a competent and experienced officer leading the force.

“He and I can now focus on our mission to tackle anti-social behaviour, bring more criminals to justice and reconnect policing to the communities we serve through increased visibility and the completion of my programme to reopen 18 police enquiry offices in rural, urban and coastal communities across Devon and Cornwall.”

Since CC Vaughan retired in 2021, he has chaired the Children’s Safeguarding Partnership Board, the Home Office Offensive Weapon Homicide Review Oversight Board and a local secondary school board of governors. He holds a masters degree in criminology and police management and has published research on his academic interests in child homicide.