In July 2023, the police and crime commissioner (PCC) suspended Chief Constable Will Kerr over sexual allegations.

Since 1814, the following officers of Devon and Cornwall Constabulary and its predecessors were killed while attempting to prevent or stop a crime in progress:[13] Will Kerr, who joined the force in December 2022, was reported on 26 July 2023 as being suspended by Police and Crime Commissioner Alison Hernandez.

[12] Since 5 May 2016, the Devon and Cornwall Police and Crime Commissioner is Alison Hernandez,[14] who represents the Conservative Party.

For special constables it consists of three months of online learning and practical weekends training and a two-year probationary period or less, dependent on the number of tours of duty.

Geographically larger BCUs are further split into Local Policing Areas (LPAs), under a Superintendent, which are further sub-divided into Sectors, each under an Inspector.

Calls are answered by trained civilian staff, with police officers in some supporting and supervisory roles.

The two control rooms use the national Airwave emergency service secure radio system, which is due to be replaced in the early 2020s.

This is a proactive roads policing team that deploy predominantly in unmarked high performance vehicles to enforce against Fatal 5 offences.

In 2020, the force moved to a gender neutral position on headwear, permitting any officer to wear a (traditionally) male or female hat – either the custodian helmet, or a peaked cap with a chequered Sillitoe tartan band, or a bowler hat, also with Sillitoe tartan, under all circumstances.

Traffic police headgear is the same as that for any other vehicle patrol but has a white rather than a black top, originally designed to aid visibility before the advent of fluorescent fabrics.

Tri Service Safety Officers (TSSOs) wear a peaked cap or bowler, with a grey band.

[citation needed] Formal dress comprises an open-necked tunic, and a white shirt/blouse with a black tie for officers of all genders.

[21] Police vehicles contain a variety of equipment, which can include straight batons, traffic cones, road signs, breathalysers, stingers, speed guns and more.

The plans were abandoned later that year due to lack of funding for the mergers, however the idea has resurfaced many times.

The plans were criticised by all the involved forces, stating that it would lead to poor quality service and a reduction in local policing.

The service offered to the public was scaled back: for example in the past victims of car crime or burglary would have seen an officer in person.

Later, from 2015, plans to merge with Dorset Police were brought to an advanced stage and an outline business case supplied to the Home Office.

In the final stage of talks, three of the four parties agreed to proceed, being the Chief Constables of both forces and the Police & Crime Commissioner (PCC) of Dorset.

However, Devon & Cornwall PCC Alison Hernandez withdrew her support for the merger, in a U-turn.

Today the force still manages to bring together a team when necessary, and play in the National Cup Competition every year.

[31] In 2015, BBC News Online reported that the force had been involved in a number of social media "blunders", including officers making inappropriate use of Facebook and Twitter, and a Twitter campaign image that had to be withdrawn when it was pointed out that it appeared to depict a police riot officer beating a person lying on the ground with a truncheon.

Devon and Cornwall Police said the pit bull-type dog was considered potentially dangerous.

"[33] Sensory library boards designed to help people with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) or sensory issues have been introduced to help neurodivergent student police officers training in classroom environments by the Devon and Cornwall Police force.