Devon and Cornwall Police has appointed a new assistant chief constable.
Deb Smith takes over from David Thorne in the role of Assistant Chief Constable for Crime, Justice and Vulnerability. The force has a chief constable, a deputy chief constable, and three assistant chief constables, each with different portfolios.
ACC Smith joins from Wiltshire Police, where she served as assistant chief constable. During her policing career, she has held a range of leadership positions in both uniformed and detective roles. She brings extensive operational and strategic experience, and is an accredited strategic firearms commander, senior investigating officer, senior identification manager, public order gold commander, and multi-agency incident commander.
In May 2015, Deb was seconded to Operation Hydrant, the national policing response to non-recent child sexual abuse allegations in institutional settings. As deputy national coordinator, she led the operational coordination of the investigation, working with forces and partner agencies across the country.
After returning to Wiltshire Police in December 2016, Deb served as head of crime before becoming head of public protection. She was later promoted to assistant chief constable, leading local policing and specialist operations, and then moved into the Crime, Justice and Vulnerability portfolio in June 2022. Most recently, she has overseen force transformation projects and programmes.
Deb also serves as the National Police Chiefs' Council lead for Employer Supported Policing within the Citizens in Policing portfolio, championing opportunities for employers to support staff involvement in policing and community safety initiatives.
Assistant Chief Constable Deb Smith said: “Throughout my career I have been passionate about protecting vulnerable people, supporting victims and ensuring communities receive the service they deserve. I am excited to build on the strong work already taking place across Devon, Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly and to help shape the force's future.”
New Assistant Chief Constable Named for Devon and Cornwall Police