Shaun Sawyer

{{Short description|Police officer; Chief Constable of Devon and Cornwall Police}}

{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2022}}

{{Infobox officeholder

| honorific_prefix = Chief Constable

| name = Shaun Sawyer

| honorific_suffix = QPM

| office = Chief Constable of Devon and Cornwall Police

| term_start = February 2013

| predecessor = Stephen Otter

| successor = Will Kerr

| occupation = Police officer

| deputy = Jim Colwell

| term_end = 2022

}}

Shaun Sawyer QPM was the chief constable of Devon and Cornwall Police until 2022, having been appointed in February 2013 to succeed Stephen Otter.{{cite web|url=https://www.devon-cornwall.police.uk/your-right-to-information/our-people/the-management/the-executive/#chief|title=Chief Constable – Shaun Sawyer|publisher=Devon and Cornwall Police |access-date=13 August 2021}}{{cite news |title=Shaun Sawyer to become Devon and Cornwall police chief |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-21036459 |work=BBC News |access-date=13 August 2021 |date=16 January 2013}}

Sawyer began his police career in 1986, as a uniformed constable in London.{{cite web |title=Sawyer, Shaun |url=https://socexconference.co.uk/speakers/shaun-sawyer.html?eventid=448&speakerid=457 |website=Serious & Organised Crime Exchange |access-date=13 August 2021}} His Metropolitan Police roles included being in charge of their investigation into the 1999 Ladbroke Grove rail disaster, and being head of counter-terrorism.

He is the National Police Chiefs' Council's lead officer for modern slavery.{{cite web |last1=Sawyer |first1=Shaun |title=Police Chiefs' Blog: CC Shaun Sawyer on Modern Slavery |url=https://www.npcc.police.uk/ThePoliceChiefsBlog/PoliceChiefsBlogCCShaunSawyeronModernSlavery.aspx |publisher=NPCC |access-date=13 August 2021}}

His salary on appointment as chief constable was £151,000. He had previously served as acting chief constable, having been deputy chief constable since April 2010.

In his capacity as Chief Constable, Sawyer was a named defendant in a civil case brought by a rape victim whose name and address had been published by Devon and Cornwall Police. The force admitted liability and paid compensation and costs running to six figures (pounds sterling), but allegedly refused a request from the victim for a meeting with and apology from Sawyer.{{cite web |title=Rape victim sues police for naming her online |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-devon-59395120 |website=BBC News |access-date=7 April 2022 |date=7 April 2022}}

Sawyer has a son and two daughters.