Contact us Archives - Your voice in policing

August 27 2024

Freedom of Information requests

Freedom of Information responses 2026

Freedom of Information responses 2025

To make a Freedom of Information request please fill out the contact form on our contact us page.

The Freedom of Information Act 2000 gives a general right of access to all types of recorded information held by public authorities. Any person who makes a request to a public authority for information must be informed whether the public authority holds that information and, subject to exemptions, supplied with that information.

The Freedom of Information Act

The Freedom of Information Act 2000 received royal assent on 30 November 2000. It gives a general right of access to all types of recorded information held by public authorities, sets out exemptions from that right and places a number of obligations on public authorities. A ‘public authority’ is defined in the Act, and includes but is not restricted to central and local government, non-departmental public bodies, the police, the health service and schools, colleges and universities. Any person who makes a request to a public authority for information must be informed whether the public authority holds that information and, subject to exemptions, supplied with that information.

Your rights and our responsibilities from June 2003

Read the FOI Publication Scheme for the Office of the Police and Crime Commissioner for Devon and Cornwall

Under the FOI Act all local authorities including the Office of Police and Crime Commissioner in Devon and Cornwall must have a publication scheme setting out the information we routinely make publicly available. Our scheme must be approved by the information commissioner and we have to review the scheme from time to time. In adopting (or reviewing) our publication scheme, we are required to have regard to the public interest in:

allowing public access to information we hold; and
to the publication of reasons for the decisions we make.

Our publication scheme must:

set out the classes of information which we publish or intend to publish;
say how we will publish the information in each class; and
say if we will provide the information free or charge for it.

The purpose of our publication scheme is to let you know what information is readily available from us without your needing to ask us for it. By readily available we mean that the information is available on our website; can be obtained from us if you request it by letter, e-mail or telephone call; can be purchased from us; or can be found in a local library.

Part 2 of our publication scheme sets out the types of information that we publish or intends to publish, how they can be obtained and whether they are free or if we will ask you to pay a charge. If you have any comments on our Publication Scheme or feel that the scheme could be improved, please contact us. If you think we have not supplied information in accordance with our scheme, then you are entitled to complain. Information about how to do so can be found here. We aim to deal with your complaint within 20 working days. If you are dissatisfied with the response you can ask for the matter to be internally reviewed. We aim to complete an internal review and respond to you within 20 working days. If, after the internal review, you remain dissatisfied then you can complain to the Information Commissioner. You can find our review procedure here.

Your rights and our responsibilities from 1 January 2005

The Freedom of Information (FOI) Act 2000 gives you a right of access to recorded information held by public authorities, subject to certain exemptions. The FOI Act applies to the vast majority of public authorities, including the Office of the Police and Crime Commissioner in Devon and Cornwall. When the FOI Act came into force fully on 1 January 2005, if you ask us for information we will be required to:

let you know in writing whether we hold information you have asked for; and
if we do, provide the information to you within 20 working days, unless it is subject to an exemption. We also have a duty to provide advice or assistance to you or anyone seeking information (for example in order to explain what is readily available or to clarify what is wanted).

Full access rights under the Freedom of Information Act came into force on 1 January 2005.

Information about how to make a freedom of information request, and our associated processes and service standards can be found here.

Requests for personal information

Under the General Data Protection Regulation, and the Data Protection Act 2018, you have a statutory rights relating to your personal data that we process. Please go to our Data Protection pages for more information.

Requests under the environmental information regulations

Information about how to make a request under the environmental information regulations (EIR) and our associated processes and service standards can be found here.

March 26 2024

FAQs

opcc

The Office of the Police and Crime Commissioner is a complex organisation with many roles and responsibilities.

Here we have put together a useful section to help you find answers to frequently asked questions about the Police and Crime Plan priorities, road safety, and about making a complaint.

If you can’t find what you’re looking for, please visit our contact us page for details of how to get in touch.

This information was published in June 2023 and will be reviewed in June 2024.

Antisocial behaviour

What is antisocial behaviour?
Antisocial behaviour (ASB) is defined by the Antisocial Behaviour Crime and Policing Act 2014 as “Conduct that has caused, or is likely to cause, harassment, alarm or distress to any person”. Most ASB incidents are not recorded as crimes and may therefore not fall under the responsibility of Devon & Cornwall Police. For instance, issues like noise nuisance, fly-tipping, parking issues (non-obstructive), littering etc should be reported to your local authority.

The police are responsible for the following incidents:

Begging

Dealing/taking of drugs and drinking alcohol in the street

Gangs and youths drinking in parks

Harassment or intimidation

Hoax calls to emergency services

Misuse of fireworks

Prostitution and indecent behaviour

Vandalism or graffiti
What is the Commissioner doing about antisocial behaviour?
This is a major area of focus for the Commissioner. In fact, ASB is one of the key priority areas within her Police and Crime Plan.

A range of actions are being supported by the Commissioner to help address ASB. These include working with partners to prevent ASB, encouraging the public to report ASB, providing them with help and support and enhancing policing response.

For instance, we are increasing focus on high visibility policing. Locally funded recruitment coupled with a central Government funded uplift meant that in 2022/23 Devon & Cornwall police hit record officer numbers of 3,610.

In 2024 the Commissioner launched Street Focus, a multi-agency project involving Devon & Cornwall Police, local authorities and other partners to improve safety in town and city centres with a focus on reducing antisocial behaviour and drug misuse. The project includes police and partner hotspot patrols in 13 locations across Devon and Cornwall, funded through £1m from the Home Office.

In addition, in collaboration with local partners, the Commissioner has worked towards maximising funding received through Safer Streets funding from the Government. So far, Devon and Cornwall have secured over £4.7 million since 2020 to invest in schemes such as CCTV, improved street lighting and town centre teams aimed at tackling antisocial behaviour, drug misuse and strengthening feelings of safety in the night-time economy.

The Commissioner has further strengthened the provision of support services for ASB by commissioning the following interventions:

ASB Youth Outreach service (£250,000 per year) to respond to ASB where there are identified areas of time of concern and preventing youth ASB from escalating to criminality via early interventions

ASB Mediation Service (£30,000 per year), to reduce conflict and prevent escalation by enabling communities to access self-help tools and increasing options for conflict resolution and crime reduction.

Dedicated ASB Victim Support Service (£200,000 per year) to support people affected by ASB to cope and recover.

Using her Community Grant Fund scheme across Devon to support schemes aimed at addressing ASB and drug use through dedicated funding programmes run by Cornwall Community Foundation and Devon Community Foundation.

Further details on interventions related to ASB which are funded by the Commissioner can be found in the Commissioning Intention Plan.
How can I get help after experiencing antisocial behaviour?

The Commissioner has commissioned an additional ASB Victim Support Service to support people affected by ASB to cope and recover, investing £200,000 per year for three years from 2022/23.

To access victim support, please find relevant information at:

Victim Care Devon and Cornwall

For information on other sources of support, please see:

Victim Support is a national charity dedicated to helping anyone affected by crime to cope with and recover from their experience.  If it doesn’t have an office in your area, it can point you to local help.

It also runs My Support Space, a free, safe, secure and confidential space where you can choose how you want to be supported. Register for My Support Space - it’s quick and easy.

ASB Help is a charity in England and Wales providing online advice and support to victims of antisocial behaviour. Visit the ASB Help website for guidance about different types of ASB, advice about gathering evidence, and available support systems.

SupportLine is a confidential service offering emotional support to anyone on any issue by telephone, email and post. SupportLine is particularly aimed at those who are socially isolated, vulnerable, at-risk groups and victims of any form of abuse. Helpline: 01708 765200 Email: info@supportline.org.uk
I have reported to police but nothing has been done. What can I do?

Thank you for reporting this incident. If you are continuing to experience antisocial behaviour, we advise that you make further reports to your local authority or Devon & Cornwall Police.

If you have made multiple reports of antisocial behaviour and feel that more action is required, you may be eligible to seek an Antisocial Behaviour Case Review (formerly called a Community Trigger) which requires the local agencies to review your case and the action taken to date and consider if there is any further action that can be taken. (Please see next FAQ on how to apply for an ASB Case Review).

If you are unhappy with how Devon & Cornwall Police or a local authority has handled your case you may also be able to make a formal complaint to that organisation. Details of how to make a complaint against Devon & Cornwall Police can be found on their website. Details on how to make a complaint about your local authority can be found on your local authority website.
What is the Antisocial Behaviour Case Review and do I qualify?

The Antisocial Behaviour Case Review is a legal tool introduced by the Antisocial Behaviour, Crime and Policing Act 2014 which seeks to support those that have been impacted by persistent antisocial behaviour and have already reported these events to the relevant local agencies (ie Devon & Cornwall Police, their local authority, a clinical commissioning group and/or a registered housing provider (social landlord). An Antisocial Behaviour Case Review will be undertaken by partner agencies, who will review action that has been previously undertaken to address the antisocial behaviour and decide on whether there are additional actions that can be taken to resolve the issue(s) in question.

Further details on how the review is carried out can be found at:

Procedure for escalating the ASB Case Review to the Police & Crime Commissioner

You may either apply for an Antisocial Behaviour Case Review via your local authority. Alternatively, you may apply by contacting Devon & Cornwall Police. The request will be forwarded to the Antisocial Behaviour Case Review manager for your area.
I'm not happy with the outcome of my Antisocial Behaviour Case Review. What can I do?

All local authorities’ procedures must include provision for a person to request a review of the way an application for an antisocial behaviour case review was dealt with, and the way their review was carried out.

The Commissioner has agreed that the Office of the Police and Crime Commissioner (OPCC) will receive requests for review in these circumstances for Devon, Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly. Escalation to the Commissioner may be used where an individual is dissatisfied with the procedure in the following circumstances:

1. The relevant bodies have rejected an application to use the antisocial behaviour case review on the basis that the threshold has not been met and the victim considers that the threshold has been met

2. The antisocial behaviour case review has failed to consider a relevant process, policy or protocol

3. The antisocial behaviour case review has failed to consider relevant factual evidenced information

Any escalation must be made to the Commissioner by the organisation which carried out the antisocial behaviour case review, not the applicant.

For further information, please see the following:

Procedure for escalating a antisocial behaviour case review to the Police and Crime Commissioner

Drugs

What is the Commissioner's position on drugs?

The Commissioner views drugs in Devon, Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly to be a scourge on our society. They have a devastating impact on individuals, families and businesses in communities. Drugs cause immeasurable harm to people, our economy, our health services and people’s ability to live happy and rewarding lives. For this reason, drugs is a key priority area within the Commissioner’s Police and Crime Plan.

The Commissioner is committed to adopting a two-fold approach to tackling drugs, which addresses both the supply of drugs into our communities and the level of demand for those drugs. Above all, she is determined to equip people with the confidence and tools to report these crimes.
What is the Commissioner doing to tackle drugs in my area?

The Commissioner has, through local taxation, funded an increase in police officer numbers which, when combined with a nationally funded uplift, resulted in record officer numbers of 3,610 officers for Devon & Cornwall Police. This figure was achieved in 2022-23 and will be maintained in 2023-24.

In addition, by collaborating closely with all Police and Crime Commissioners and Chief Constables within the region, the Commissioner has been working to target and disrupt drug supply routes into the region through operations which use intelligence, technology, joint innovation and robust policing to stop drug dealers on their tracks. By harnessing our collective power, the Commissioner seeks to create a ‘ring of steel’ around the South West, with all services working together to prevent drugs getting into our communities.

Operation Scorpion sees joint operations between five police forces in the South West of England which started in March 2022 and are repeated regularly. Drugs worth several millions of pounds have been seized since under the Operation Scorpion banner, hundreds of safeguarding referrals have been made and weapons have been taken off the streets.
What is the Commissioner doing about drugs-related antisocial behaviour in my area?
As part of the Commissioner’s over-arching focus on tackling drugs, a range of initiatives are taking place across the peninsula to address issues linked to antisocial behaviour – such as street-based drug-taking and drug littering. Below are a few examples:

Investment in a dedicated Crimestoppers resource to enhance and improve intelligence on drug activity across Devon, Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly

Working with partners to take action in areas where the presence and impacts of drugs are the highest

Supporting the delivery of Safer Streets projects across qualifying towns and cities in Devon and Cornwall. Commissioners and partners have secured more than £5 million of government funding this year for Safer Streets. These projects include significant focus on town and city-centre based antisocial behaviour, including drug-related antisocial behaviour

Enabling local communities to take forward their own projects through the Commissioner’s Community Grant Fund
I've noticed drug dealing or drug taking in my local area. What can be done about it?

One of the best ways for drugs offences to be tackled in your local area is for incidents to be reported to relevant authorities. This is essential for improving the intelligence that the police have and enabling a more targeted approach to tackling drugs. The Commissioner is very aware that, too often, people are afraid to report these crimes and she is therefore actively working towards giving people the confidence and tools necessary to report these offences.

The Devon & Cornwall Police website contains information on how to report crime or pass information to the force.

You can also report drug dealing occurring in your community via Crimestoppers, an online platform which gives people the power to speak up 100% anonymously via CrimeStoppers or by calling 0800 555 111.

However, if you are in danger or believe someone may be in danger, please call 999 immediately.
What is the Commissioner doing to address drug driving?

The Commissioner is very conscious of the risks that come with driving while under the influence of drugs and is committed to increasing drug testing on arrest.

The Commissioner will hold the Chief Constable to account for ensuring that officers effectively carry out drug testing on arrest to keep them and other road users safe and to allow early identification of those who require support with their substance misuse issues and enable them to receive a holistic criminal justice response.

In addition, the Commissioner is continuing to invest in road policing capabilities and is working with partners through Vision Zero South West road safety partnership to make roads safer for users and eradicate deaths on our roads. The partnership seeks to tackle drug-driving by increasing public awareness of the risks and consequences associated with driving while under the influence of drugs. (Please see our FAQs on road safety for further details).
I'm a victim of drug-related crime. How can I access support?

The Commissioner is responsible for providing a full range of support services for victims throughout Devon, Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly. She is committed to equipping local communities with the tools and confidence to report drug-related incidents and seek help.

To access victim support, please find relevant information at:

Victim Care Devon and Cornwall

Or call the Victim Care Unit at: 01392 475900

Under the Victims Code of Practice (introduced under the Domestic Violence, Crime and Victims Act 2004) victims of crime are entitled to a certain level of service support provided by all criminal justice agencies. Details of your rights under the Victim Code can be found here.

Accessing support is not dependent on whether a victim has reported the incident to relevant authorities. However, reports help us improve intelligence around drug activity across the peninsula.

The Devon & Cornwall Police website contains information on how to report crime or pass information to the force.

If someone is in danger or immediate action is required to save lives, stop injury or catch criminals call 999 immediately.

Alternatively, you may report anonymously to Crimestoppers or by calling 0800 555 111
Where can I access support for drug and alcohol misuse?

Violence

What is the Commissioner doing to address violence?

This is a major area of focus for the Commissioner, who has prioritised tackling violence for her term of office. Violence is one of the key priority areas within her Police and Crime Plan. The plan sets out a series of key strategic ambitions with a particular focus on preventing serious violence and on tackling violence against women and girls.

Working with the Chief Constable, the Commissioner has established the £4m Serious Violence Prevention Programme which adopts a public-health approach to tackling violence. The programme seeks to break the cycle of violence by focusing on people under the age of 25 years old who are at risk of getting drawn into violence.

Alongside this, the Commissioner continues to invest in both victim and perpetrator programmes to prevent future crimes and ensure that the needs of victims are understood and met. As Chair of the Local Criminal Justice Board, the Commissioner is also focused on securing improvements across the criminal justice system to bring more offenders to justice, provide meaningful rehabilitation of offenders and support victims throughout their journey.

The actions being taken under the Police and Crime Plan are regularly reported to the Police and Crime Panel.
What is the Commissioner doing to tackle violence against women and girls (including domestic abuse and sexual violence)?
The Commissioner is taking a range of actions under the Police and Crime Plan to tackle violence against women and girls in Devon, Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly. This includes holding the Chief Constable to account for the performance of Devon & Cornwall Police in preventing and investigating these crimes and for the quality of the services it provides to victims. The Commissioner is also taking a range of specific actions through the work of the Office of the Police and Crime Commissioner which includes:

Supporting victims of domestic abuse and sexual violence through commissioning high quality support services

Funding programmes which seek to address perpetrator behaviours which seek to break the cycle of offending and prevent further harm

Working with local authorities and other partners to maximise use of the Home Office Safer Streets funding to deliver new initiatives in our area which help to tackle these crimes.

Further information on the actions being taken in all of these areas can be found in separate FAQs below.
How is the Commissioner supporting victims of domestic abuse and sexual violence?
The Commissioner’s new ten year, £20 million, strategic partnership with Victim Support is focused on delivering long term stability for victims and for the sector – identifying gaps and investing to meet those needs.

In 2022-23 local investment in support services for victims of sexual violence and domestic abuse has been increased and totals just over £3.7 million. This investment is helping to secure access to ensure trauma informed, therapeutic services for victims of reported and non-reported crimes, including in 2022/23 investing:

over £1 million for provision of Independent Sexual Violence Advocates and Independent Domestic Violence Advocates to provide dedicated specialist support to victims

£883,000 to provide support for medium and high-risk victims of domestic abuse

£687,000 to support victims of sexual violence

This year’s investment also includes new services to support children and young people who are victims of sexual violence and to enhance therapeutic and peer support services for adult victims, through bespoke commissioned services from Barnardo’s, CLEAR, First Light, Women’s Centre Cornwall and the Children’s Society. This investment is for three years and is supported by an additional £612,000 per annum in funding from the Ministry of Justice.

In its role as the Commissioner’s Strategic Delivery Partner, Victim Support has commissioned ‘We Matter’ – a new digital service providing specialist support to children and young people who’ve experienced and witnessed domestic abuse in the home. This service provides an eight-session group programme for eight to 17-year-olds, who are no longer living with the alleged perpetrator.

Information on how to access support can be found at the FAQ below.
How is the Commissioner working to address perpetrator behaviour and prevent reoffending?

The Commissioner’s work to tackle perpetrator behaviours is focused on domestic abuse and sexual offending.

In 2022-23 the Commissioner secured £417,000 in funding from the Home Office to support a range of domestic abuse perpetrator projects being led by Community Safety Partnerships across the peninsula. These programmes work with people who cause harm to address their offending behaviours and prevent future victimisation.

The Commissioner is committed to improving the focus on behaviour change and has recruited a new Domestic Abuse Behaviour Change Strategic Lead to develop and lead a new partnership perpetrator strategy. The Commissioner will continue to seek to maximise funding from new government initiatives to support work in this area.

The Commissioner also commissions two bespoke services that work with sexual offence perpetrators. Since 2015 the Commissioner has funded Circles SW to work with those individuals considered most at risk of reoffending. Circles SW provides an internationally acclaimed community approach to work with sex offenders by creating a team (circle) of community members who support and challenge the referred individual as they move post-conviction to being reintegrated into society. To date 75 circles have been funded. In 2022-23 the Commissioner engaged the SW Community Chaplaincy service to work with sex offenders who no longer fall under the auspices of the National Probation Service. This is a mentoring service which provides practical help, as well as behavioural challenge to these individuals, who are referred directly by Devon & Cornwall Police.
How is the Safer Streets fund being used to tackle violence against women and girls?
Since 2020 more than £4.7 million in investment by the Home Office has been secured for 11 Safer Streets Fund and Safety of Women at Night Fund Projects. This includes:

Safer Streets Fund 3: Projects operating in Plymouth City Centre and Falmouth have delivered a range of bespoke local initiatives, backed by £600,000 in Home Office funding. These have included new CCTV and street lighting, innovative new help-points in Plymouth and bystander awareness training in the night-time economy.

Safety of Women at Night Fund: Exeter University worked with partners across the city supported by £72,000 in Home Office funding. Its work included bespoke training and awareness projects with both night time economy workers and women and girls, plus development of a new Safety Charter.

Safer Streets Fund 4: Five bids to the Home Office were successful across Devon, Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly, delivering over £3M in funding, focused on addressing VAWG and anti-social behaviour. Projects are now live in Torquay, Truro, Barnstaple, Exeter and Plymouth. Initiatives include increased CCTV and street lighting, a new VAWG rapid response police car in Torquay and development of new safety charters for venues in our night-time economies.
What is the StreetSafe tool and how can I use it?

StreetSafe is a new national initiative launched by the police which allows a person to provide feedback to the police (and partners) on areas where they feel unsafe within their community.

The tool can be accessed at StreetSafe. It allows you to comment on where you feel unsafe and the reasons why you might feel unsafe e.g. poor lighting, drug litter, harassment or intimidation.

This local information is then available to local policing teams who can use this data to have discussions with the local authority and other partners about safety in the local area.
I am a victim of violence - how can I report to police?

Phone 999 immediately if immediate action is required to save lives, stop injury or catch criminals.

101 non-emergency can be used for reporting a non-urgent crime, access to support services or to make an appointment. 101 services can now be accessed via calling 101, or through the webchat function.

Alternatively you can report a crime online or by visiting your local police station front desk.

To stay 100% anonymous, contact the independent charity Crimestoppers viatheir website or call Freephone 0800 555 111.

In an emergency always use 999.
I am a victim of violence - how can I access support?

To access victim support, please find relevant information at Victim Care Devon and Cornwall or call the Victim Care Unit at: 01392 475900

Under the Victims Code of Practice (introduced under the Domestic Violence, Crime and Victims Act 2004) victims of crime are entitled to a certain level of service support provided by all Criminal Justice Agencies. Details of your rights under the Victim Code can be found on our Victim Care website.

Accessing support is not dependent on whether a victim has reported the incident to relevant authorities. However, reports help us improve intelligence around drug activity across the peninsula.

To report information to the police, please visit Devon & Cornwall Police’s website or call 101.

If someone is in danger or immediate action is required to save lives, stop injury or catch criminals call 999 immediately.

Please phone 999 immediately if immediate action is required to save lives, stop injury or catch criminals.

Road safety

What is the Commissioner doing to strengthen road safety?

While the region is one of the safest when it comes to road safety, any death or serious injury is one too many.

The Commissioner is a founding member of Vision Zero South West, a multi-agency partnership from across Devon and Cornwall committed to eradicating death and serious injury from our roads, with an interim measure of cutting the number of people killed and seriously injured in half by 2030.
What is Vision Zero South West?

Vision Zero South West is a road safety partnership which brings together a range of agencies including the emergency services, local authorities (who have responsibility for the highway) and hospitals from across Devon and Cornwall who are working together to make our roads safer. Vision Zero South West has a goal to eradicate death and serious injury from our roads and improve post collision care. The target is to cut the number of KSIs by at least 50% by 2030.

For further information, please see the Vision Zero South West website.
How many roads policing officers (traffic officers) are there?
Devon and Cornwall Police’s roads policing officers are part of a collaboration with Dorset Police – the Alliance Roads Policing Unit. Within Devon and Cornwall, our primary resource consists of dedicated roads police officers, armed response officers and an addition civilian speeding detection camera operator. This response includes a dedicated ‘No Excuse Team’ that target the ‘fatal five’ offences (those that are shown to be most commonly associated with a fatal collision – drink/drug driving, speeding, careless driving, using a mobile phone and not wearing a seatbelt).

Roads policing in Devon and Cornwall (figures as of March 2022):

70 Dedicated Roads Police Officers; 58 Constables, 12 Sergeants

12 No Excuse Officers; 10 PCs; two Sergeants

138 ARVs; 120 Constables; 18 Sergeants (this number fluctuates)

12 Speed Detection Officers, two of whom are dedicated to working with Community Speed Watch schemes to provide enforceable speed detection in speed watch locations.
Which areas do roads policing officers target?

Decisions on the deployment of roads policing officers is an operational matter for the Chief Constable not the Commissioner. Roads policing officers are deployed to the locations that are identified as providing the highest risk to road safety. Due to the volumes of traffic on the main A roads and M5, this may mean that these roads appear to receive increased enforcement but resources are targeted to areas where risk is highest based on evidence and intelligence, including our rural road network which see the majority of collisions.

If you are concerned about regular road offences occurring in a specific area within Devon and Cornwall, please contact the police on their website.

If someone is in danger or immediate action is required to save lives, stop injury or catch criminals call 999 immediately.
What is Community Speedwatch (CSW)?

Community Speedwatch is an initiative which gives members of the public the opportunity to take a stance against speeding vehicles in their community. The scheme, which is managed and run by Devon & Cornwall Police, enables volunteers to support road policing by monitoring traffic speeds in their local area.

Community Speedwatch is primarily an education and awareness approach, with warning letters being issued to drivers who are observed speeding. In some cases, speed detection officers will accompany Community Speedwatch teams and will be able to take enforcement action against drivers identified as speeding.

The Commissioner is very supportive of Community Speedwatch and has provided financial and personnel support to the scheme in the past to help enhance the service.

Further information about Community Speedwatch and details about how to get involved or set a scheme up in your area can be found on the Devon & Cornwall Police website or by emailing speedwatch@devonandcornwall.pnn.police.uk

Read more on the Devon & Cornwall Police Community Speedwatch page.
How do I get the speed limit in my area lowered (or raised) or report concerns about the condition of roads?

The Commissioner has no role in the setting of speed limits nor any influence over their setting.

Should you have questions about the speed limit for a road or highway, these should be raised with the relevant councillor in Devon, Cornwall, Torbay, Plymouth or Isles of Scilly councils. If the road is maintained by National Highways (generally the A38, A30 and M5) – contact should be made with National Highways.

The Commissioner is aware of growing interest in reducing residential speed limits to 20mph. While the Commissioner has no role in speed-limit setting, she is generally supportive of moves to 20mph limit where there is clear public support from the local community.
I have been a victim of dangerous driving/road collision. Where can I access support?

Help and support for victims of road collisions are available from charitable organisations, these include RoadPeace and Brake. Information on the following can be found at:

In addition, Vision Zero South West has worked with the Police and Crime Commissioner to commission a new dedicated support service for all people bereaved by a road collision and those who have been affected by life-changing injuries across the peninsula. Further details can be found in the Commissioner’s Commissioning Intention Plan.
What can be done about vehicles making excessive noise?

Concerns about vehicles (including motorbikes) making excessive noise should be reported to Devon & Cornwall Police providing as much information as possible including times of day and vehicle registration numbers where possible. It is also worthwhile reporting this to the local council.

The Government is currently looking to trial a number of vehicle noise cameras in a number of locations across the country. We are awaiting the outcome and information on whether any trials will be taking place in our police force area.
How do I report a vehicle for no tax or MoT?
How do I query or object to a Notice of Intended Prosecution related to speeding or another driving offence?

The prosecution of offences is an operational matter for the Chief Constable. Any questions or queries related to a Notice of Intended Prosecution should be raised in the first instance with the enforcement unit within Devon & Cornwall Police whose contact details will be included on the letter you have received.

Complaints

How do I make a complaint against Devon and Cornwall Police and its officers?

All complaints against officers (excluding the Chief Constable) should be directed to the Professional Standards Department (PSD) of Devon & Cornwall Police for their consideration. This can be done by emailing professional.standards@devonandcornwall.pnn.police.uk or via Devon & Cornwall Police’s website.

Complaints that meet the logging criteria will then be recorded and assessed in accordance with Schedule 3 of the Police Reform Act 2002 and the Independent Office for Police Conduct’s (IOPC) Statutory Guidance 2020.

An initial assessment will be made to determine handling and may result in one of the following:

Early Intervention Team – where appropriate, the Professional Standards Department will look to make early contact with you to discuss your concerns and resolve the issues to your satisfaction. This will avoid a potentially lengthy process in accordance with the requirements of Schedule 3 of the Police Reform Act 2002. If at the end of the early intervention process you remain dissatisfied with the outcome, PSD will deal with your concerns as a formal complaint (known as Schedule 3).

Schedule 3 Recorded – IOPC Statutory Guidance stipulates where complaints must be recorded and those that must be investigated. Complaints which do not require an investigation will be handled in a reasonable and proportionate manner. Further information can be found in the IOPC Statutory Guidance 2020.

Referral to the IOPC – Some complaints may be referred to the IOPC and it may decide to independently investigate or oversee a police investigation.
How do I obtain an update on a complaint that I have submitted?
What is the Commissioner's role within the complaints process?
Under the police complaints process, the Police and Crime Commissioner is the ‘appropriate authority’ to review certain police complaints where you are dissatisfied with the outcome. Due to holding this function, it is important to know that the Office of the Police and Crime Commissioner is unable to comment or deal with complaints against Devon & Cornwall Police or its officers (unless it is the Chief Constable).

If you are dissatisfied with the outcome of your complaint about the police, and your complaint has been handled under legislation concerning police complaints and police misconduct (the Police Reform Act 2002, Schedule 3), then you may request a review.

A review of your complaint is not merely a quality check of what has happened, it offers the opportunity to consider whether the complaint outcome is reasonable and proportionate, and if not, to put things right.

The types of things a review process will consider include:

Whether any findings, determinations or the outcome to the complaint were reasonable and proportionate to the circumstances of the complaint.

Whether any actions proposed were reasonable and proportionate

Whether the process and method used to handle your complaint was reasonable and proportionate

Whether you were provided with sufficient information during the process, and about the outcome of your complaint.

The appropriate organisation to undertake a review of your complaint will be specified in the complaint outcome letter.

If the complaint has been considered serious enough to be referred to the IOPC, or the conduct complained about would justify criminal or disciplinary proceedings, the IOPC will undertake the review. If it has been investigated by, or an investigation has been overseen by, the IOPC, there is no right to apply for a review of the outcome of your complaint.

A review must be received within set timescales, the detail of which will be included in the outcome letter. If a request for a review is out of time, it may still be considered in special circumstances.

If the request for a review is not valid, we will write to inform you and provide the reasons why.
How do I make a complaint against the Chief Constable?
The Commissioner holds the Chief Constable to account for how policing services are delivered and is responsible for any complaints about the personal conduct of the Chief Constable including acts, omissions, statements and decisions.

The way in which complaints about a Chief Constable (or Acting Chief Constable) are dealt with is described in legislations (IOPC guidance can be found here) and there are different options for handling the complaint depending on its nature.

Complaints that are not being dealt with as a crime may be dealt with by the Commissioner or the Independent Office for Police Misconduct (IOPC).

We hope to resolve complaint efficiently and effectively.

Complaints that require further investigations will be recorded and we are required to notify you when we do this. Recording a complaint means that it has formal status under the Police Reform Act 2002. Recorded complaints will either be handled by us, or by the IOPC, depending on the seriousness of the complaint. The way in which the complaint is handled must be reasonable and proportionate to the matter in question.

Depending on the circumstances, this may mean:

an investigation of the matter

seeking to resolving your concerns in another way

on occasion, informing you that no further action will be taken.

It must then be dealt with according to formal rules and guidance. If we do not record your complaint, and you are dissatisfied with our decision, you can appeal to the IOPC.

We are required to refer all qualifying complaints about the Chief Constable to the IOPC which decide whether the matter should be investigated. We will notify you when we make such a referral.

A complaint that will be referred to the IOPC is likely to be one that alleges serious conduct issues.

If we are not the appropriate body to deal with your complaint, we are required to send it to the appropriate body and we are not required to seek your consent to do this. We will tell you we’ve done this, what we have sent and who we have sent it to.

If you wish to make a complaint about the conduct of the Chief Constable, you can do so by:

Completing and returning a complaint form (by email or post)

Writing to the PCC, Andy Hocking House, Alderson Drive, Exeter, EX2 7RP

Using our contact form

Phoning 01392 497700
How do I make a complaint against the Police and Crime Commissioner?
The Commissioner is directly elected by the public and therefore will be held to account on election day.

The Police and Crime Panel ensures its members (both independent and from local authorities) support the Commissioner, but as a ‘critical friend’. The Police and Crime Panel also scrutinises the Commissioner’s conduct and decisions on behalf of the public.

The Commissioner is a representative of the community and must conduct themselves in a way that does not discredit their office. The Commissioner is subject to a Code of Conduct based on the Nolan principals which set out the expected standards of personal conduct and ethical standards of behaviour.

If you think the Commissioner has breached their Code of Conduct the appropriate authority to handle your complaint is the Police and Crime Panel, however, initially you should send your complaint to the Chief Executive of the Office of the Police and Crime Commissioner (OPCC) who will carry out the initial stages of processing your complaint, and will liaise with the Police and Crime Panel as appropriate. We aim to respond to you with a recording decision within 10 working days and resolve the matter within 20 working days.

If your complaint alleges a criminal offence then we will refer it to the Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) to handle.

Complaints about the Police and Crime Commissioner can be made to the Chief Executive by:

Using our contact form
Phoning 01392 497700

Writing to the Chief Executive, Andy Hocking House, Alderson Drive, Exeter, EX2 7RP
Operational policing concerns
The role of a Police and Crime Commissioner is to be your voice in policing, and to hold the Chief Constable to account for how he/she discharges their functions. The aim of all Commissioners is to ensure the delivery of an effective and efficient police service within their force area.

The Chief Constable is expected to lead and make decisions in all aspects of operational policing and therefore, any questions or comments relating to operational policing should be forwarded to his office in the first instance for a response. You can do this on the Devon & Cornwall Police website or via 101.

This information was reviewed in summer 2024 and will be revised annually.

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