Police force told to improve vetting of officers

Devon and Cornwall Police was rated "requires improvement" in three areas

A police force needs to improve how it reviews vetting decisions, manages complaints and monitors the use of its IT systems, inspectors have said.

His Majesty's Inspectorate of Constabulary and Fire & Rescue Services (HMICFRS) assessed the effectiveness of Devon and Cornwall Police in three areas.

It was graded "requires improvement" in its vetting of police officers and staff, professional standards and counter-corruption arrangements.

Det Supt Alexandra Doughty, head of professional standards at Devon and Cornwall Police, said the force had made "significant changes" since the inspection in February.

Inspectors found the force also needed to improve the way it manages complaints and conduct matters, as well as its timeliness in handling them.

It said the force should improve how it monitored the use of its IT systems so it could effectively monitor, audit and investigate potential misuse.

However, the report noted Devon and Cornwall Police actively looked for evidence of disproportionality in its vetting decisions and was adequately staffed to meet demand.

Det Supt Doughty said the force's vetting department had introduced independent scrutiny panels to identify organisational learning, as well as additional training on decision making and recording.

She added: "In tackling corruption, the force quickly and robustly assesses and analyses incidents internally and within our communities, for example, abuse of position for a sexual purpose and misconduct involving vulnerability."

She said the force had also improved its timeliness in the handling of public complaints. At the time of the inspection there was a backlog of 1,600 complaints.

"There has now been a 70% reduction in the number of people waiting and a member of public can now expect an acknowledgement of their concerns within two weeks followed by the subsequent investigation," she said.

'Reduces public trust'

His Majesty's Inspector of Constabulary Kathryn Stone said the work of force vetting units, professional standards departments and counter-corruption units had "never been more vital".

"When police officers or staff are found to be involved in misconduct, it reduces public trust and confidence in the police service," she said.

"We must make sure that the right people join the police service and those working to keep our communities safe can be trusted to do so.

"We were disappointed to find that the force requires improvement in all areas of our inspection.

"We will continue to monitor the force's progress."

More scrutiny

Alison Hernandez, Police and Crime Commissioner for Devon, Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly, said she was disappointed but not surprised by the findings.

"I have previously placed on record my own disappointment with the police's performance in a number of the areas highlighted by HMICFRS and have already put in place a number of measures to address them," she said.

"This enhanced scrutiny has included me taking a 'deep-dive' into the performance of the Professional Standards Department through my new Accountability Board, and the creation of a new Police Conduct Oversight Board, which provides me with oversight of police misconduct cases and public complaints."

She said "performance has and continues to improve in nearly all areas" under the leadership of Chief Constable James Vaughan, who was appointed in December 2024.

"However, there is clearly still much work to do, and I am grateful to His Majesty's Inspectorate of Constabulary for the work that they continue to do in ensuring that these matters - critical for public confidence - remain in the spotlight," she said.