Exmouth Inspector hangs up his hat and looks forward to retirement

Inspector Grant Leitch, who heads up the Exmouth sector, is retiring after 30 years dedicated service to communities covered by Devon & Cornwall Police.  

His current role includes policing Ottery St Mary, Budleigh Salterton and Woodbury, as well as Exmouth and he leads the Neighbourhood Police Team.   

Exmouth was designated as an anti-social behaviour hotspot area and received funding from the Office of the Police and Crime Commissioner in Spring last year. The extra high visibility patrols and introduction of street marshals in the town have increased public engagement and positive feedback, as well as reducing nuisance incidents.     

Before he made the move into policing Grant spent six years in social work, focusing on child protection and residential childcare. He joined Devon & Cornwall Police in 1995 and started his career as a patrol officer in Mid Devon. He transferred to Exeter city centre before going into the Intelligence Directorate, which had responsibility for police briefing systems.

After joining the Neighbourhood Policing Team in Exeter he moved over to CID as a Detective Constable and, after gaining promotion to the rank of Sergeant, he worked as a Patrol Officer in Exeter.

Grant enjoyed a spell as Detective Sergeant with the proactive team and worked on drugs recovery protocol before taking on more general detective work. He was involved in many successful investigations, including the conviction of jewellery thieves from London.

The officer’s next career move was to become Custody Inspector based in Exeter, before he moved over to mid Devon as a Rural Crime Detective Inspector, covering Exmouth and surrounding areas. He worked as Detective Inspector back in Exeter before taking on the role of temporary Detective Chief Inspector for the whole of the North, West and East Devon police area during the Covid pandemic.

Inspector Grant Leitch said: “I have greatly enjoyed my time serving with Devon & Cornwall Police in a variety of roles. I have met some fantastic colleagues along the way and am proud of what my teams have achieved for the local communities. This is a busy and challenging but fantastic part of the UK to be a police officer.

“I would recommend policing as a career; it is a privilege to serve the public and the job offers some great opportunities. I am looking forward to some relaxation time and hope to get out and about and see more of the beautiful countryside in our two counties.”

Inspector Leitch saw his Neighbourhood Team collect a Chief Superintendent’s Commendation at the awards ceremony for North, East and West Devon last September.

The team showed dedication, professionalism and tenacity to identify a complex criminal picture relating to County Lines drugs networks in the area. Following lengthy investigations, the value of both drugs and funds seized by police amounted to hundreds of thousands of pounds. Offenders were arrested and the drugs networks supressed which prevented further offences from taking place.

The commendation was to recognise the team’s hard work in tackling crime and making a difference to the local area. Inspector Grant Leitch went along to the ceremony to congratulate them and offer his personal thanks.

The new Exmouth Sector Inspector will be announced in due course.