The suspended chief constable of Devon and Cornwall Police, Will Kerr, was paid the equivalent of nine months’ salary to retire, it has emerged.
In July, Mr Will Kerr, who has not been arrested or charged with any offence, announced he had chosen to retire, stating it was in the “best interests” of his family and the force.
Now Police and Crime Commissioner Alison Hernandez confirmed the former chief received a settlement of £165,539.
Mr Will Kerr was suspended in July 2023 by the Police and Crime Commissioner following a mandatory referral to the Independent Office of Police Conduct.
Had he not retired, he would have continued to receive his usual monthly wage because the investigation into gross misconduct remains ongoing, with no certainty when it will conclude.
His contract was due to run until December 2027, meaning taxpayers could have been funding the salary of a suspended chief constable for 29 months had a settlement not been reached.
Commissioner Hernandez has since announced that Interim Chief Constable James Vaughan has agreed to remain in post until January 2027.
She said it would bring stability to Devon and Cornwall Police which would not have been possible had Mr Will Kerr remained suspended.
Now confirming the details of Mr Will Kerr’s settlement terms, she said: “Mr Kerr was suspended on full pay from July 2023 as per the requirements of police regulations while investigations into his conduct continued.
“With no certainty on the length of the IOPC investigation the reality we were facing was significant additional costs to taxpayers and continued leadership instability.
“By reaching a financial settlement, that uncertainty has now been resolved and efforts can now be fully focused on delivering a stable and effective police force.”
The Commissioner said she remained “incredibly frustrated” by the length of time the ongoing investigation was taking.
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