AN independent police conduct investigation has found ‘no evidence’ of gross misconduct by former Acting Chief Constable of Devon and Cornwall Jim Colwell.

ACC Colwell was suspended from duties in November last year into alleged professional standards breaches. He has since returned to duties as Deputy Chief Constable.

The case was referred at the time to the Independent Office of Police Conduct by Devon and Cornwall Police and Crime Commissioner Alison Hernandez. The IOPC carried out an investigation.

ACC Colwell was alleged to have used a work mobile phone to exchange personal messages and a complaint was made about his handling of a force disciplinary matter.

An IOPC spokesperson said today (Thursday): “We concluded our investigation into the conduct of then acting Chief Constable of Devon and Cornwall Police, Jim Colwell, in April.

“We found no case to answer in respect of either the alleged use of a work issue mobile phone to exchange personal messages without a policing purpose, or his conduct concerning the handling of a force disciplinary matter. Overall we found no evidence to determine any gross misconduct, or any breach of professional standards for honesty and integrity.

“We did decide the now Deputy Chief Constable has a case to answer for misconduct in respect of a potential breach of the force’s notifiable associations policy.

“In our opinion there was sufficient evidence upon which a reasonable misconduct tribunal could find that his actions breached standards of professional behaviour for order and instructions, and conduct. It will be for a future misconduct meeting, arranged by the chief constable of Essex Police as the delegated appropriate authority, to determine whether misconduct is proven and any outcome.

“Our investigation followed a referral from the Devon & Cornwall Police and Crime Commissioner in November.”