More about this area

Devon, Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly is the largest policing geography in England, stretching over 4,000 square miles, containing a mix of rural, urban and coastal areas including three growing cities, numerous large towns, a significant military presence including HMNB Devonport – the largest naval base in Western Europe, as well as six inhabited islands. It has 730 miles of coastline and the largest road network in England and Wales, over 80% of this being rural and only a short stretch of motorway. The area welcomes 45 million visitor nights per year, with significant associated demand surges seasonally.

Office for National Statistics crime figures show the force area is the country’s safest place to live, with the lowest crime rate in the UK.  In the past year the force dealt with just over a million calls for service and recorded over 110,000 crimes.  Waiting times on 101 have reduced considerably, and is now around five minutes.  The force has also opened a number of front offices to further increase the opportunity for the public to speak with us. It has also adopted the ‘Right Care, Right Person’ initiative, whereby demand is directed to relevant partner agencies better equipped to deal with if appropriate.

The force is also currently embedding ‘Project Synergy’, a change to the way crime is investigated to improve the service offered to victims in recognition of the challenges faced and the service expected by the public.

The force has faced considerable challenges and significant events in recent years, notably the events in Keyham. This was a tragic event which the force, and policing generally, has learned many valuable lessons. It also highlighted the great professionalism and selflessness with which officers operate every day – frequently putting themselves in harm’s way to protect the public. Other recent events – including an unexploded bomb discovered in Plymouth – emphasise the varied and unpredictable nature of policing, and the professionalism with which officers and staff approach each challenge.

Devon and Cornwall Police is approaching the highest number of police officers in its history with over 3,600 warranted officers. To ensure it is extracting the greatest possible value from these resources, the force is investing in strategic planning in addition to looking at how we make best use of technology to increase efficiency and reduce the burden of ‘bureaucratic’ tasks.

Devon, Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly is the largest policing geography in England, stretching over 4,000 square miles and includes six inhabited islands. It is amongst the country’s safest places to live, with the third lowest crime rate in the UK (ONS 2022).

The force geography is a mix of rural, urban and coastal areas, including three growing cities, numerous large towns and a significant military presence which includes HMNB Devonport – the largest naval base in Western Europe. As a peninsula, the force area is isolated from other police and support services, with 730 miles of coastline and limited public transport infrastructure. The area has the largest road network in England and Wales with over 80% of this being rural.

Since the 2011 census, the South West has experienced a population growth increase of 7.8%, well above the national increase of 6.3%. East Devon has increased by 13.8%, whilst Exeter has seen 11.1% and Teignbridge 8.5% growth.

The force area has significant pockets of high deprivation, and the elderly population is above the national average (24% aged 65 years or over, compared to the national average of 18%). Devon and Cornwall is also a national outlier in areas such as self-harm and mental health related hospital admissions for those under 18 – demonstrating the need to operate daily within a complex partnership landscape including three unitary local authorities, one top tier county council and eight district councils.

Devon and Cornwall welcome 45 million visitor nights per year, with significant associated demand surges as the population increases seasonally. In the 12 months to October 2022 the force dealt with just over a million calls for service and recorded over 100,000 crimes – an increase of 10.6% on the previous year and a 2.7% increase on the baseline year of 2019 (pre-COVID).

The force oversaw and coordinated the G7 World Leaders’ Summit and national deployment of almost 8,000 mutual aid officers from across the UK, in addition to various law enforcement agencies world-wide. The force delivered a successful event with overwhelmingly positive feedback in terms of local community engagement.

Devon and Cornwall Police is approaching the highest number of police officers in its history, with 2023 anticipated to reach 3,610 warranted officers.