Devon and Cornwall Police and Crime Commissioner 'shocked' after role scrapped
The government announced today (November 13) that it plans to abolish the role in 2028
Last updated 14th Nov 2025
Devon and Cornwall's Police and Crime Commissioner has reacted to the news that Police and Crime Commissioners are to be abolished in England and Wales.
Alison Hernandez has said she is "shocked" by the government's decision and is working out what it means for people in Devon and Cornwall and the Isles or Scilly.
Ms Hernandez said her team remains committed to serving the public for the next two and a half years.
In a statement Ms Hernandez said: “I want to assure all members of the public that my office and I are still going to be here for the next two and a half years and we will continue to hold the police to account on your behalf.
“My team and I have a lot to be proud of. We have a record number of police officers – 3,610 - and are one of the areas with the most reopened police stations.
"We also believe Devon & Cornwall Police is the most financially stable force in England thanks to the good financial planning of my office.
“I am doubtful the change announced today will save the estimated £100 million that has been stated by the Home Office minister.
"The duties of my office must remain independent of policing and will continue to incur a cost to the public regardless of where the responsibility for delivering them rests.
"This includes providing services for victims, being the appeals body for complaints against the police and having responsibility for elements of the misconduct process for all police officers.
“I have spoken to the Chief Constable, James Vaughan, and I am confident our positive working relationship will continue for the rest of his contract which runs until January 2027.
"The recruitment of the next Chief Constable will continue to be overseen by my office as planned.”
Police and Crime Commissioners were first introduced in 2012.
The government announced today that it plans to abolish the role in 2028 and ministers say it could save at least £100 million.
At the end of the PCC's terms in 2028 mayors and council leaders will take up the responsibilities of policing arrangements.
What else has been said?
Plymouth Labour has welcomed the Government’s decision to scrap Police and Crime Commissioners (PCCs) by 2028, following confirmation from Policing Minister Sarah Jones that the model has been a “failed experiment” and that savings can be redirected into frontline policing.
Councillor Sally Haydon, Plymouth City Council’s Cabinet Member for Community Safety and Chair of the Devon and Cornwall Police and Crime Panel, said the move was “long overdue”, citing the litany of errors and misjudgement from Conservative PCC Alison Hernandez.
Cllr Haydon said: “This announcement is a relief for communities across Devon and Cornwall who, for years, have seen policing weakened while the Conservative PCC lurched from one controversy to the next.
On Alison Hernandez’s watch, our police force was put into special measures, trust was damaged, and too much energy was spent on political grandstanding rather than delivering safer streets.
The public deserves accountability that works. The PCC model hasn’t served them, and Devon & Cornwall shows that more starkly than anywhere. Scrapping PCCs is the right call and a chance to refocus on frontline policing, community confidence and restoring pride in our police.”
Plymouth Labour said it would work constructively with the Government on the transition and continue holding local policing leadership to account throughout.
Chief constable Gavin Stephens, chairman of the National Police Chiefs' Council, said chief officers will always support strong local scrutiny "and the most effective methods" to deliver that.
The police chief said: "Strong governance of policing is a key part of the overall vision for wider police reform, to ensure that the service can respond quickly and consistently to criminal threats at the local, regional and national level.
"The Government has now set out proposals to move responsibility for police governance directly to elected mayors and policing and crime boards, where we can see the potential for stronger, more integrated local leadership on community safety where this is done well.
"As these proposals are developed, our focus remains on the same fundamentals; fighting crime; bringing offenders to justice; supporting victims; listening to our communities and working with local and national partners to prevent crime and protect the vulnerable, so people are safe and feel safe."
Tiff Lynch, chairwoman of the Police Federation of England and Wales, said: "We welcome this announcement and look forward to helping shape whatever accountability structures replace directly-elected Police and Crime Commissioners (PCCs). PCCs were an expensive experiment which has failed.
"The tens of millions of pounds they cost should instead be a down-payment for the sort of policing service this country and its police officers deserve - one with enough officers, with experienced police officers who can afford to keep doing the job and where officers facing immense stress are properly supported when they put their lives and bodies on the line to protect all of us.
"The forthcoming police reform white paper is a chance for this Government to show it is serious about all of this."