DEPUTY Chief Constable of Devon and Cornwall Police, Jim Colwell, has been given a written warning after a disciplinary meeting found misconduct proven against him.

Chaired by the chief constable of Lincolnshire Police, the tribunal, which was held on July 18, found Colwell breached Devon & Cornwall Police’s notifiable associations policy.

The Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) issued Colwell with a written warning.

The warning lasts for 18 months.

‘The misconduct tribunal found that his actions breached professional standards relating to orders and instructions and discreditable conduct’, the IOPC said.

In May, the police watchdog concluded that there was no evidence of gross misconduct by Mr Colwell.

Mr Colwell was suspended for alleged ‘professional standards breaches’ in November over claims he used his work mobile phone to exchange messages of a ‘personal nature’.