Police and Crime Commissioner becomes independent

The Police and Crime Commissioner for Devon and Cornwall, Alison Hernandez, has confirmed she will serve the remainder of her term as an Independent, saying she is stepping away from party politics.

Ms Hernandez, who is now in her third term after first being elected in 2016, said the move would not change the priorities set out in the Police and Crime Plan. She offered reassurance to police officers, staff, volunteers and the public that her focus would remain on holding the police to account and ensuring policing services meet local needs.

The Commissioner is supported by a team of non-political staff led by a chief executive, who will continue their statutory work throughout the remainder of her term.

Her decision follows a government announcement made in November 2025 that Police and Crime Commissioners will not be replaced when their current terms of office end in May 2028. Further reforms to policing are expected in the coming weeks, when the government is due to publish a white paper outlining proposed changes.

Ms Hernandez said the prospect of those reforms was a key factor in her decision. She said: “I have decided to step away from party politics and become an Independent. I believe it will enable me to fight to secure the policing resources we have in Devon and Cornwall – 43 per cent of which is funded by all of us through our council tax. The imminent Government white paper on policing worries me.

“Rushed timescales, work done in secret with little consultation, this feels like something being done to the police and the people, not being done with or for us. And the timing of the abolition of PCCs, again not planned, makes me anxious for our area. We cannot afford for party politics to get in the way of ensuring we all work together to get the best deal for the people of Devon, Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly.”