Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, If she will have discussions with the Police and Crime Commissioner for Devon, Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly on the adequacy of the system for appointing a Chief Constable for Devon and Cornwall Police.

It is for locally elected Police and Crime Commissioners (PCCs) to make decisions around appointing, suspending, and removing chief constables.

The College of Policing updated the national Guidance for Appointing Chief Officers in February 2024 to ensure fair and appropriate processes are followed in the appointment of chief officers in England and Wales. The College also offer a range of services to help PCCs with the recruitment and appointment process including help to maximise the pool of potential candidates, support with delivering a process in line with the national guidance and to sit on the appointment panel as a senior police advisor.