"Police Officers in Devon & Cornwall are striving to rise to the difficult challenges daily, dealing with ever increasing public demand, coupled with increased scrutiny from our requirement to improve under recent HMICFRS reviews, which I know we have robustly challenged.

"This latest news is devastating, not just for the members of Devon & Cornwall and the communities we serve, but for the ongoing continuity of business delivery at the highest level.

"Devon & Cornwall Police Federation will continue to work with the Force and the executive officers to ensure service delivery is maintained in these current challenging times."