WIREDGOV

Devon and Cornwall Police has been moved into Level Three of the Policing Performance System. This follows His Majesty’s Inspectorate of Constabulary and Fire & Rescue Services (HMICFRS) issuing an accelerated cause of concern today (25 September) due to the force failing to provide effective leadership to manage demand, investigate crime and safeguard victims.

Get the report

Devon and Cornwall Police: accelerated cause of concern

Under the Policing Performance System, every force in England and Wales is assigned a level from Level One to Level Four (Special Measures) – the highest level of performance concern. Devon and Cornwall Police had previously been assigned Level Two.

HMICFRS said Devon and Cornwall Police’s performance has deteriorated against the causes of concern identified in its 2025-27 PEEL inspection. Inspectors found that the force doesn’t consistently carry out or supervise investigations to safeguard victims.

In some cases, the force doesn’t identify or address the risk of serious harm to victims for several weeks and a significant amount of investigative work hasn’t been promptly allocated to teams. The force’s operating model also doesn’t allow it to effectively manage its demand.

HMICFRS has therefore moved Devon and Cornwall Police into Level Three of the Policing Performance System, allowing the force to receive additional support to make necessary improvements. HMICFRS has also issued an accelerated cause of concern to the force because the force’s strategic leaders are failing to provide effective leadership. An accelerated cause of concern can be issued when a force’s failures raise concerns about public safety – as is the case with Devon and Cornwall Police.

To address these concerns, HMICFRS has recommended that, with immediate effect, the force should make sure:

• its strategic leaders review the processes for understanding and managing demand and risk so they can effectively and fairly allocate incidents, crimes and safeguarding concerns across teams;
• its current operating model and associated processes give a clear overview of demand and the risk to victims that it should manage;
• it promptly risk assesses any unallocated incidents, crimes or safeguarding concerns so the appropriate teams can progress them, and they aren’t diverted to separate inboxes within its crime and incident management system; and
• strategic leaders are aware of, oversee and can properly direct how its demand management processes are implemented consistently across all teams.

His Majesty’s Inspector of Constabulary Kathryn Stone OBE said:

“An accelerated cause of concern has been issued to Devon and Cornwall Police as the force is failing to provide effective leadership to manage demand, investigate crime and safeguard victims. As a result of this, the Chief Inspector of Constabulary has moved the force into Level Three of the Policing Performance System.

“During our revisit, we found that too few investigations are being carried out or supervised effectively. In some cases, the risk of serious harm to victims is not being identified and addressed for weeks.

“The force’s operating model also isn’t allowing it to effectively manage the pressures it faces. We found that some of the force’s processes have resulted in demand becoming hidden, with cases remaining unallocated for several weeks.

“Devon and Cornwall Police will now receive additional support and it should take immediate action to address our recommendations. I will be closely monitoring its progress.”

Level Three of the Policing Performance System applies where a force has a single, critical and lasting issue, widespread or systemic performance concerns, or it fails to demonstrate meaningful improvements. Forces in Level Three receive targeted support and intervention from the performance system and chief constables develop improvement plans.

Get the report

Devon and Cornwall Police: accelerated cause of concern

Notes

• For further information, please contact the HMICFRS Press Office on 0300 071 6781 or HMICPressOffice@hmicfrs.gov.uk.
• If our inspection identifies a serious or critical shortcoming in a force’s practice, policy, or performance, it will be reported as a cause of concern. A cause of concern will always be accompanied by one or more recommendations.
• When we identify causes of concern during our inspections, we normally provide details in the subsequent force report. In some cases, such as when we discover significant service failures or risks to public safety, we report our concerns and recommendations earlier. This is called an accelerated cause of concern.
• The Policing Performance System has replaced the previous HMICFRS ‘Scan’ and ‘Engage’ monitoring process.
• A wide range of data and evidence is considered when assigning levels, including HMICFRS inspection findings, analysis of performance data from the Police Performance Framework (which is developed and maintained by the Home Office) and wider contextual information from partner agencies such as the Independent Office for Police Conduct and the College of Policing.
• His Majesty’s Chief Inspector of Constabulary (HMCI) is responsible for determining which level each police force is assigned to. The level a force is assigned reflects its current performance and the support needed:
  • Level One– default position for all forces. No action or intervention is required from the performance system at this time.
  • Level Two– enhanced support will be available to prevent any deterioration in performance. This would apply where a force has some low-level, non-systemic issues, issues which are getting better but require oversight, or multiple minor issues.
  • Level Three– targeted support and intervention will be provided and chief constables will develop improvement plans. This would apply where a force has a single, critical and lasting issue, widespread or systemic performance concerns, or if it fails to demonstrate meaningful improvements.
  • Level Four (Special Measures) – forces will be subject to special measures where force performance failings are very serious and there is insufficient evidence or confidence that the steps being taken to address them are having the required effect.
• Read more information about the Policing Performance System and the levels assigned to each police force in England and Wales.