Chief Constable Will Kerr suspended over misconduct claims

The main constable of Devon and Cornwall Police has been suspended pursuing allegations of misconduct.

Will Kerr, who joined the unit successful December, was suspended by Police and Crime Commissioner Alison Hernandez.

The substance has been referred to the Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) which has confirmed it is investigating.

An IOPC spokesperson said it had "decided to analyse allegations of misconduct" against him.

A connection issued by Ms Hernandez's bureau said: "Pursuant to conception 38(2) of the Police Reform and Social Responsibility Act 2011, Alison Hernandez, the Police and Crime Commissioner for Devon and Cornwall, has suspended the Chief Constable of Devon and Cornwall Police, Will Kerr OBE KPM, pursuing allegations of misconduct.

"The commissioner has referred the substance to the Independent Office for Police Conduct, which has confirmed it volition commence an investigation."

Devon and Cornwall Police said Deputy Chief Constable Jim Colwell would go acting main constable pursuing the suspension.

Mr Colwell said helium understood "our communities volition beryllium concerned" astatine quality of the suspension.

He said: "I americium keen to reassure the nationalist that we volition support our absorption connected delivering the champion imaginable work to our communities.

"We person thousands of dedicated and nonrecreational officers, unit and volunteers wrong our unit and beardown enactment passim which, erstwhile pulled together, mean we tin proceed to marque improvements astatine gait to supply our communities with the highest levels of work they deserve.

"Public spot and assurance are astatine the precise bosom of our quality to constabulary efficaciously and we are incredibly arrogant that successful Devon, Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly we person the enactment of our communities."

He added it is present "a substance for the Office of the Police and Crime Commissioner and the IOPC to investigate."