Chief Constable and Commissioner thank agencies involved in Exmouth and Plymouth operations
Devon and Cornwall Chief Constable James Vaughan, QPM MSt (Cantab), and Police and Crime Commissioner Alison Hernandez have thanked all the agencies involved in dealing with two Second World War unexploded device operations this week.
This week two separate unexploded devices were found in Plymouth and Exmouth resulting in two simultaneous major incidents.
The munitions were discovered within hours of each other, first at a building site in Plymouth city centre and then at Exmouth Marina on Wednesday, January 14.
Both devices were transported out to sea and safely disposed of in the early hours of this morning, Friday.
During the Exmouth incident a large number of residents within a 400m and then 600m cordon were evacuated while military experts worked on the safe disposal of the device.
Chief Constable Vaughan said: “It has been a week of significant demand and a display of first class partnership working from all of those staff involved in both operations in Exmouth and Plymouth.
“The Police and Crime Commissioner and I attended the command centre at the Lifeboat station in Exmouth on Thursday evening
“Meeting our own operational staff and volunteers as well as military personnel, we were overwhelmed by the strength of the partnership and community response to the incident.
“The safe removal of ordnance in both Plymouth and Exmouth showed exceptional bravery and skills from both Royal Navy and army bomb disposal experts.”
“I’d like to thank every member of staff from all agencies for the role they played in bringing this matter to a safe conclusion.”
Police and Crime Commissioner Alison Hernandez also commended the strength of partnership working.
She said: “I would like to add my thanks to all the officers and staff involved in these incidents.
“I was hugely impressed by the professionalism I saw when I visited Exmouth on Thursday afternoon.
“The calmness I witnessed from the police team when they were managing the logistics around the extension of the cordon was exemplary.”