POLICE and Crime Commissioner Alison Hernandez says Devon and Cornwall Police must be ‘relentless’ in its fight against crime as she makes theft and alcohol-related offences new priorities for the force, alongside a renewed focus on rural challenges.

Commissioner Hernandez is calling on everyone to play their part as she launches her new Police and Crime Plan, a bold vision to improve policing and crime services and create safer, more resilient, and connected communities.

The plan sets the direction of policing across the peninsula for the next four years and reflects extensive consultation with residents and partners. It outlines four strategic priorities:

Town and city centres: Tackling theft, shoplifting, and alcohol-related disorder, alongside efforts to reduce violence against women and girls.

Countryside and coastal areas: A renewed focus on rural crime, including preventing livestock and equipment theft, tackling wildlife crime, and disrupting organised crime networks operating in remote areas.

On the roads: A zero-tolerance approach to drink and drug driving, reducing road traffic fatalities and serious injuries, and targeting vehicle-related crimes.

Homes and neighbourhoods: Supporting victims, disrupting illegal drug supplies, and improving responses to domestic abuse and residential burglaries.

Commissioner Hernandez said: “I want a police force that our communities can trust and be proud of; one that is fair, efficient, and relentless in its fight against crime and pursuit of justice. My plan sets out what I expect from Devon and Cornwall Police over my current term of office, and I will be unrelenting in holding the Chief Constable to account for making the improvements our residents want and deserve to see.

“While Devon and Cornwall remain among the safest places to live and work in the country, I understand the need for policing to focus on the things that matter most to our communities. This plan reflects those priorities, addressing repeat offenders, repeat crimes and repeat victims while delivering a consistently high standard of investigation and conduct.”

The plan also sets out how the Commissioner will measure the performance of Devon and Cornwall Police, including improved call waiting times, more accurate crime recording, an increase in public confidence and the force being removed from His Majesty’s Inspectorate of Constabularies and Fire and Rescue Services ‘engage’ status.

Recognising the unique challenges of policing one of the UK’s largest rural areas, the plan introduces measures to protect farmers and rural businesses from theft, while wildlife crime and illegal activities in remote areas are a major focus.

The plan also prioritises intelligence-sharing to deter organised crime groups from exploiting rural and coastal routes, creating a ‘ring of steel’ to prevent drug trafficking and other illegal activities in these communities.

An emphasis is on protecting women and girls from violence, particularly in homes and town and city centres, while antisocial behaviour remains a priority in the new plan, reflecting widespread public concerns about its impact on communities. The plan includes measures to reduce disorder in town centres, address disruptive vehicle use, and combat behaviours that undermine the safety and wellbeing of residents.