Welcome to the Nottinghamshire Police Awards 2019
A very warm welcome to this year’s Nottinghamshire Police Awards.
Tonight is our opportunity to say “thank you” to our officers, staff and volunteers who have gone above and beyond to keep the people of Nottinghamshire safe.
We work alongside some really inspiring people who have devoted decades to the police service. From tales of extraordinary bravery to stories of going the extra mile for colleagues or to safeguard vulnerable victims, you will hear some fantastic stories tonight.
Not only are these stories indicative of the calibre of the officers, staff and volunteers we have in Nottinghamshire, they also show the bravery and commitment of police across the county.
Family and friends - you also play a huge part in our success. There are late finishes, cancelled rest days, difficult investigations and distressing incidents to attend. This ceremony is also about saying “thank you” to you, the families, as well, and we hope to see as many of you as possible afterwards to celebrate.
A wonderful “thank you” to the VIPs who have been kind enough to make this evening what it is and who continue to support this organisation.
Finally, this is the perfect opportunity to say thank you to our sponsors - Nottinghamshire Police Federation, SAAB Technologies and software provider HCL - for their generosity and continued support. Without them, this evening simply would not have been possible.
Congratulations to tonight’s recipients and we hope you are all proud of yourselves. Have a fantastic evening and enjoy the ceremony.
Craig Guildford Chief Constable
~ 6:30pm
Doors to the Great Hall are opened. Please begin to take your seats
~ 7:00pm
Ceremony starts for Force Awards, Long Service and Good Conduct medals
and Chief Constable’s Commendations
~ 9:00pm
Anticipated end of ceremony
Food and beverages will be available afterwards in the Osborne Suite,
kindly sponsored by Nottinghamshire Police Federation.
Please note: We anticipate that the ceremony will end at around 9pm. Should you need to
leave the room for any reason, please make your way to one of the two stairwells where a
member of the team will direct you. Please be respectful of others receiving awards.
The awards
We’re delighted to be presenting a number of awards at tonight’s ceremony, ranging from our annual awards to Chief Constable’s Commendations:
PROUD awards The Professional, Respect For All, One Team, Utmost Integrity, Trust and Honesty and Doing It Differently awards make up our PROUD awards and represent the values of the force, recognising those who embody them and make a difference to the community.
Wellbeing Award This award is presented to any member of the organisation who has gone above and beyond to support colleagues in need. They have had a huge positive impact, helping others across the force and showing great compassion in their role.
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The awards...continued
Ged Walker Award The Ged Walker Award is presented in memory of PC Ged Walker, who died in 2003 after he was fatally injured as he attempted to remove the keys from the ignition of a stolen taxi. The award is presented each year to those who display outstanding bravery and dedication to protecting the public from harm.
Police and Crime Commissioner’s Community Safety Award This award is presented by the PCC to an organisation which has made an exceptional difference to improving safety within a specific area or in the community as a whole.
Police and Crime Commissioner’s Partnership Award This award is presented by the PCC to an organisation which promotes the benefits of partnership working to enrich the community.
Services to the Coroner Coroners act as advocates representing the deceased person, while keeping the bereaved family central to the inquest process. This award is recognition of an excellent level of service provided to the Coroner over many years.
Police Federation National Detective Forum (PFNDF) Award This award celebrates the very best of detective policing throughout England and Wales, recognising where officers have displayed diligence and dedication to bring cases to their conclusion. This award is given by the Police Federation’s National Detectives’ Forum.
Queen’s Commendation for Bravery The Queen’s Commendation for Bravery (QCB) was introduced in the Second World War as the equivalent to Mentioned in Dispatches. This award gives national recognition for bravery in a situation where the person’s life was at risk.
Long Service and Good Conduct Medal The Police Long Service and Good Conduct Medal was introduced by King George VI in 1951. It is awarded as a mark of the Sovereign’s appreciation of long and meritorious service by members of the police force. As the Queen’s representative in Nottinghamshire, the Lord Lieutenant presents this award to officers with 20 years of exemplary service.
Chief Constable’s Commendation Chief Constable’s Commendations are the highest form of recognition from the force and are selected by the Chief Officer Team for those who have either displayed exemplary work or exceptional bravery. Chief Constable’s Commendations are awarded to officers, staff, PCSOs, volunteers and members of the public for their actions.
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Inspector Chris Pearson
Chris has demonstrated positivity and willingness to help in all aspects of policing. His
respectful approach to everyone he works with has increased performance and helped
to improve staff welfare. Chris has taken the lead on a number of operations, including
Operation Sceptre and Operation Taffy. He has also helped to introduce knife crime
wands and community engagement reviews. His work with partners and the community
has ensured a good professional relationship with all those he works alongside.
Respect For All Award | Presented by DCC Barber
Ronald Lawrence MBE
Ron has consistently demonstrated a passion to engage with a range of diverse groups
and used this to bring people into the organisation. He has a charismatic, enthusiastic
and engaging approach, which appeals to people of all ages and backgrounds.
His hard work engaging with key schools has promoted the Police Constable Degree
Apprenticeship (PCDA) and has encouraged a wide range of young people to join the
organisation.
One Team Award | Presented by DCC Barber and sponsor SAAB
Operation Lester
DI Ed Cook, DS James Bond, DS Rick Jones, DC Andy Buxton, DC Dionne Love, DC Tony
Tonks, DC Rob Marsden, DC Alan Prentice, DC Laura Whittington, DC Luke Todd, DC
Sacha Carlisle, DC Richard Kinsey, POI Harry Buxton, DC Ryan Atkin, DC Nathan Wall,
DC Charlotte Henson, DC Rory Greer, DC Steve Eley, DC Kirsty Henderson, DC Chris
Adams, POI Adam Karimjee, DC Laura Price
This group of CID officers and staff are being recognised for their excellent work on a
difficult investigation. The case was a knife attack on a student who was on his way home
from the city centre, which left him with life-threatening injuries. The investigation had
limited clues to work with and witnesses who did not want to help the police. Because
the victim was seriously injured, the team had to piece together hours of CCTV to trace
his movements without his involvement. Officers recovered evidence including clothing
and weapons from the offender, as well as items which linked him to the victim. Enquires
including automatic number plate recognition (ANPR), taxi data and GPS tagging
provided a picture of key movements.
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Staff had to work to a tight schedule of interviewing suspects, recovering key items of
evidence and managing challenging witnesses. Thanks to the diligent work of those
involved, all of the suspects were arrested within seven days of the incident. In total, nine
people were arrested, multiple warrants were executed, over 300 exhibits were examined
and numerous weapons and controlled drugs were seized.
Due to compelling evidence and a comprehensive file, the key suspect was charged
and pleaded guilty to Section 18 wounding and was given a 14-year prison sentence.
Those involved made great personal sacrifices to secure a prosecution, spending long
hours at work and away from their families. They all showed exceptional commitment and
dedication throughout this long investigation.
Utmost Integrity, Trust and Honesty Award | Presented by DCC Barber
Romel Davis
Romel first worked in the Control Room when he joined the force, helping with diversity
outreach work in his own time right from the start. Recently, he was offered the opportunity
of working on a scheme to identify, engage and support vulnerable young people with
the help of police cadets. Thanks to Romel’s passion, the Citizens in Policing Department
now has cadet bases across Nottingham. He has also organised the recent Stephen
Lawrence Day celebration, which was one of the biggest community engagement events
Nottinghamshire Police has held in recent memory.
Doing It Differently Award | Presented by DCC Barber & sponsor HCL
Operation Reacher
DCI Lee Davies, DS Marcus Oldroyd, PC Dan Butler, PC Richard Craig, PC Olwen Sharp,
PC Graham Willis, PCSO Charlotte Bastlow, PCSO Richard Hodgman
Operation Reacher was formed to disrupt organised crime on the Bestwood estate. The
team has worked hard to open lines of communication with the local community, build
relationships and increase trust and confidence in the police. They have used Facebook,
promotional banners and innovative competitions to reach their audience.
The team continues to improve community relations through their work on social media
and by holding community events in Bestwood. Officers from Operation Reacher have
also worked closely with online groups to tackle bike thefts, gather intelligence through
community links and seize numerous motorbikes.
All of these activities have helped to build stronger relationships and a great deal of trust
with people of all ages in the community.
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Police Officer Long Service and Good Conduct Medals | Presented by Lord-Lieutenant, Sir John Peace
For achieving 20 years’ service and good conduct
PC James Atkinson
PC Wayne Bennett
PS Geoffrey Brown
PS Andrew Browning
PC Lee Bultitude
DC Christopher Bostock
Insp Christine Busuttil
DC Helen Castledine
PC Dean Oliver
PS Paul Peatfield
DS Colette Phillips
PC David Platt
DS Richard Ravasio
PC Paul Reid
PC Matthew Rodgers
DC Stuart Satterley
PS Richard Shaw
PS Richard Shipley
PC Steven Sweetin
PS Stephen Thornhill
PC Ross Topham
PC Elizabeth Watmough
PS Bret Wilks
PS Amy Wilson
Queen’s Commendation for Bravery | Presented by the Lord Lieutenant Sir John Peace
PS Mathew Daley and PS Jody Leonardi
Matthew Daley and Jody Leonardi were involved in an incident in October 2018 where fire
and police staff were confronted by a man who unexpectedly emerged from a burning
building with a gun.
They displayed extreme courage when they tackled and disarmed the man, who posed
a threat toward not only themselves, but also to other officers, emergency services
personnel and the vulnerable occupants of a burning building.
Both officers pursued and found the suspect and were eventually able to overcome and
successfully detain him, recovering the gun in the process.
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Det Supt Jackie Alexander PC Christopher Barnes PC Peter Daynes DC Emrys Davies PC Sean Dodders DC Helen Evans
Det Supt Simon Firth D Supt Austin Fuller PC John Goodman Insp Paul Gummer DS Sarah Palmer DI Martin Putnar
Dawn Leatherland Catherine Snowden Yvonne Stock Nicola Thomas
DC Philip Robinson PS Wayne Sidebottom DS Caroline Toulson PC Debra Wadden
Linda Whitehead Steven Wilkinson Gill Womack-Telford
Police Staff Long Service Awards | Presented by His Honour JJ Teare, High Sheriff of Nottinghamshire
For achieving 20 years’ service
Gaynor Clements-Parker
Alys Dwan
Toni Geary
Nahira Khan
Claire Marshall
Sharon Arthur Tracey Brunt Joanne English Kathryn Hand Pauline Hetherington
Christopher Ogden
Susan Rushton
Monika Rutland
Tracey Smith
Gerard Teal
Janet Thompson
Elizabeth Tobin
Emma Wilson
Police Officer 30 Years Long Service Awards | Presented by His Honour JJ Teare, High Sheriff of Nottinghamshire
For achieving 30 years’ service and good conduct
Police Staff 30 Years’ Long Service Awards | Presented by the Lord-Lieutenant, Sir John Peace
For achieving 30 years’ service
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Ged Walker Award | Presented by DCC Barber and Tracy Walker
PC Amy Billington Amy is receiving this award following an incident when she was single-crewed and attended what appeared to be a straightforward car crash. It soon became apparent that this wasn’t the case, when the driver was found to be under the influence of alcohol and became violent and aggressive. Amy arrested the drunk driver and put him in the police car. He was kicking, punching and damaging the car, smashing the window and trying to get out. Amy bravely tried to stop the man escaping, before he overpowered her and ran off. After this, with support from her colleagues, Amy successfully detained and arrested the drunk driver.
Police and Crime Commissioner’s Community Safety Award| Presented by PCC Paddy Tipping
Equation Equation is a small and flexible local organisation which punches well above its weight. It is highly innovative and its work is at the heart of domestic abuse support in Nottinghamshire, delivering a wide range of well thought-through, professional and safe interventions to tackle community safety issues.
This includes prevention, early intervention, awareness raising, training and support. Some examples of their excellent community safety work include: • A successful domestic abuse support service for men, which supports male survivors
to cope and recover from harm. The team constantly seeks to stay informed on emerging best practice in supporting men and to improve the service.
• Specialist domestic abuse workforce development training programmes, which train large numbers of professionals every year.
• Development and delivery of innovative healthy relationship programmes in primary and secondary schools, with built-in support for teachers and robust practice to manage disclosures of domestic abuse from children. The programmes and resources are specifically designed to help children to actively engage with difficult topics.
• Media campaigns which have increased awareness and reporting of domestic abuse.
• Healthy relationship programmes for young women at risk of harm, particularly from gangs.
• Targeted programmes with young men who are beginning to commit domestic abuse, which have demonstrated positive attitude changes in those taking part.
Not only does Equation do an excellent job in delivering its commissioned services, its
staff go well beyond that in their efforts to tackle domestic abuse in Nottinghamshire.
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Police and Crime Commissioner’s Partnership Award| Presented by PCC Paddy Tipping
Nottinghamshire Youth Commission
Nottinghamshire Youth Commission enables young people aged 14 to 25 years to have
their say about policing and crime where they live, challenging and informing the work of
the Police and Crime Commissioner.
Nottinghamshire Youth Commission has made an outstanding contribution to engaging
young people across Nottinghamshire, from a diverse range of backgrounds, in delivering
against the Commissioner’s Police and Crime Priorities. This has included engagement
with over 4,000 young people in schools and colleges across Nottinghamshire since 2016,
on topics ranging from relationships with the police, hate crime and sexual offences to
stop and search and knife crime.
The positive reputation of the Youth Commission has grown considerably over the
last three years. This is testament to the quality of their work, the personal and social
development of their members and the level of access and engagement that they have
achieved among young people from diverse backgrounds across Nottinghamshire.
The products and feedback that the youth commissioners have provided have been
invaluable. They have helped to shape local police and partnership youth engagement,
as well as broader policies and practices.
The youth commissioners have also worked with the police to support people’s panels
and senior promotion and recruitment processes. This approach has been recognised by
the College of Policing as an example of innovative good practice.
Services to the Coroner | Presented by Nottinghamshire Coroner, Mairin Casey
DI Richard Monk
Richard is an excellent detective. He has been thorough in all aspects of investigation
over the years and has shown great dedication in his policing style.
Although he now holds a more senior rank, over many years he has never failed in giving
an excellent level of service to the Coroner.
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Chief Constable’s Commendation | Presented by CC Guildford
PC David Stafford, PC Darren Barnett, PC Terri Turner and PC Kylie Davies
These four officers went into a chaotic situation after a stabbing. They were faced with a
victim with life-threatening injuries and a suspect that was on the loose. All four officers
had to calm and secure witnesses, secure the scene, give first aid to the victim, as well as
finding and arresting the suspect. These officers rushed into danger to protect the general
public, displaying incredible bravery and courage.
PC Dan Butler and PC Wayne Tear
These officers acted with great haste when a witness to a large street fight collapsed,
requiring them to administer CPR in an attempt to save his life. While they were sadly
unable to save him, their actions gave the victim’s family the time they needed to say
their goodbyes.
PC James Campin
PC James Campin responded to concerns for a woman’s safety at a car park. James
and a member of the public spoke to the woman, who was very distressed. Through their
actions in an extremely tense and difficult situation, they were able to bring the woman to
safety.
Inspector Dean Gallacher, PC Christian Chell, PC Nick Bradley, PC Craig Pole, PC Leigh
Barker, PC Justin Moss, PC James Cantrill, PC James Coupland, PC Jonathan Lee,
Maxine Davies and PC Roy Lewis-Tatton
These officers managed to bring a potentially dangerous incident to a safe conclusion.
While abducting a vulnerable teenage girl, the suspect in this case attacked and injured
the girl’s brother with a machete. The suspect then made off with the girl in a stolen car.
Officers pursued the car to the M1, where it came to a stop on the hard shoulder before
accelerating off the road and into a ditch. Officers followed on foot and called out to the
occupants as they approached the vehicle. Due to the suspect’s aggressive behaviour,
officers deployed Taser through an open window. The suspect then lunged forward,
reaching towards the machete. A second officer deployed Taser, again with a successful
hit that allowed officers to remove him from the car and detain him.
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PC Caroline Bailey and PC Sarah Finch
PC Caroline Bailey and PC Sarah Finch are being commended following their arrest of a
man on suspicion of burglary.
When the man was taken to his cell, he overpowered five officers, biting one of them.
Caroline and Sarah both came to the aid of the other officers, taking control of
the suspect and helping the other staff to leave the cell. However, while Sarah was
handcuffing the man, he knocked her unconscious. Caroline used her Taser to overpower
the violent prisoner and take control of a dangerous situation.
PC Spencer Pugh and PC David Myers
PC Spencer Pugh and PC David Myers attended a difficult scene, where the victim had
been dragged along the ground under a car. They bravely gave first aid to the victim,
giving CPR for 10 minutes until paramedics arrived. They stayed with the victim, showing
an incredible level of care and dedication.
PC Mark Stacey, PC Stuart Hazard, Linda Stockham and Maxine Davies
These officers and staff are being recognised for their response to two incidents in March
last year, where two girls were assaulted on the same afternoon.
In both incidents, the girls escaped their attacker and the suspect got away. Specialist
units were deployed to the areas where the incidents took place, along with the
helicopter. Roads were blocked as the suspect was seen jumping hedges and garden
hopping to avoid the police.
Two force Control Room operators, Maxine Davies and Linda Stockham, took ownership of
the deployment of officers, using their mapping system and sending officers to the most
appropriate locations. PC Stuart Hazard and Police Dog Morse were deployed and used
tactical communications to successfully secure and arrest the suspect.
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PS Tony Rungay
In October 2018, officers were deployed after a JCB was stolen in Worksop. PS Tony
Rungay drove behind the vehicle when it failed to stop and gave the helicopter excellent
commentary on the vehicle’s movements. The JCB drove recklessly towards oncoming
cars, before the driver drove through a hedge into a field to try to get away.
Tony couldn’t follow in his police car, so he chased the JCB on foot. He smashed the side
door window with his baton and ordered the driver to stop. Due to the erratic behaviour of
the driver, he sprayed CS at him through the broken window, eventually forcing the driver
to stop.
Thanks to Tony’s quick thinking and brave actions, the driver was removed from the cab
and arrested.
PC Stephen Craner
PC Stephen Craner attended a report that a man was in danger in the River Trent. When
Stephen arrived he managed to find the man, who was now in real difficulty. Stephen
acted swiftly and jumped into the water to rescue the man.
Without the use of a safety line, Stephen swam to the man and brought him back to the
river bank, where he was treated by ambulance crews. Without Stephen’s courageous
actions, this incident could have had a tragic ending.
Mark Davies
Mark teaches trainee detectives on the capabilities of digital evidence and problems
which can happen when mobile phone data is compressed.
Mark continues to develop systems and produce vital evidence for the organisation and
was instrumental in Operation Horseradish, where he recovered digital evidence which
had been compressed.
Thanks to his hard work and expertise, vital footage was recovered. This meant that the
courts had very clear footage of the suspect in the case with the murder weapon.
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TPS Mohson Hussain
Earlier in the year, TPS Mohson Hussain was travelling home from work and was flagged
down by a distressed taxi driver, who was in dispute with a passenger. The passenger was
extremely drunk and acting violently, so Mohson told the taxi driver to call the police and
report the offence.
The passenger then tried to get away, but Mohson realised and stopped him. The
passenger then assaulted Mohson, who was forced to restrain him without his personal
protective equipment. Under difficult circumstances, Mohson established control until the
other police officers arrived and the man was arrested.
PC Taimoor Zafar
In October last year, PC Taimoor Zafar was off duty and noticed two men fighting. Taimoor
ran over to them and shouted that he was a police officer. There was a large crowd
gathering in the area, which made the situation more hostile.
With no radio or protective gear, Taimoor bravely took control of the situation. He
determined that one of the men had used a knife against the other and arrested that
man.
Thanks to Taimoor’s brave actions and tactical skills while off duty, the suspect was
detained.
PC Matthew Chambers and PC Martin Clifton
PC Matthew Chambers and PC Martin Clifton are being commended for an incident
where one of them was assaulted by an armed man.
Whilst attending an address, the suspect pushed passed them and picked up a large
knife. Matthew tackled the suspect to the floor, followed by Martin who tried to get hold of
the knife.
Concerned for the safety of himself and his colleague, Martin used his Taser and
managed to take the knife from the suspect. The officers were then able to arrest the man.
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PC Benjamin Price and PC Alice Bryan
PC Benjamin Price and PC Alice Bryan are being recognised for their quick thinking, after
they attended a burglary where a man had been stabbed.
The two officers found the victim in a nearby garden. The man had been seriously injured,
and Benjamin and Alice gave him first aid. Alice applied a makeshift tourniquet to stop
the bleeding. She remained calm throughout and gave clear instructions back to the
control room.
Thanks to the quick thinking and precise actions of the officers, the victim survived. The
paramedics commended the actions of officers at the scene before taking the victim to
the hospital, where he received further emergency treatment.
PC Ben Collins
Earlier this year, officers were called to an address after social care called the police
for help. Staff had been outside a woman’s home, trying to speak to her, when she had
threatened them.
Officers arrived and found the woman was holding her young baby. They tried to stop the
door from being closed so that they could speak to her. The woman threatened officers
with a kitchen knife through a locked door, and they were forced to stand back.
However, PC Collins was concerned for the child’s safety and managed to get into the
house. The woman began squirting bleach at Ben, while still holding the child. The woman
then left the house with the child and with the bleach in her hand. As Ben approached
her, she continued to attack him. He managed to safely detain her just before she
reached the main road. Other officers arrived to help, taking care of the baby so that the
woman could be safely handcuffed.
Ben and the other officers involved showed courage and bravery. As well as this, they
treated the woman with sensitivity and made the baby’s safety their utmost priority.
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Chief Constable’s Commendation | Presented by CC Guildford
PC David Grassam, PC Richard Elliott, PC Anna Parkin, PC Daniel Mottishaw, PC James
Gill and PC Matthew Leask
In the early hours of one morning, these officers went to an emergency report of a
burglary, where a gang of three men with weapons had broken into a pub. When officers
arrived, the suspects drove at them, narrowly missing them. A police pursuit began and
the suspects rammed into the police cars, before losing control of their own car and
crashing it. The suspects then started attacking the officers with a sledge hammer,
smashing one police car’s passenger window and windscreen while the officers were
trapped inside. They ran off and officers chased them, despite one of the men being
armed with a large sledge hammer and threatening the officers. Police batons were
drawn and Tasers were used to successfully detain and arrest all three men.
Ralph Gibson and Simon Wells
Ralph Gibson and Simon Wells witnessed a crash where the front-seat passenger
received serious injuries. They applied a tourniquet to stop the victim’s bleeding and
ultimately saved their life. As well as this, they both preserved the evidence at the scene
and maintained a safe working environment while supporting the person who was
injured. They showed quick thinking and were calm in a high pressure situation.
PCSO Lara Holbrook
While on her way home from work, PCSO Lara Holbrook came across a man in distress.
She stayed with him and quickly built a rapport to help keep him safe. Thanks to the care
Lara showed and with assistance from her colleagues, she was able to help the man and
give him the support he desperately needed.
PC John Faulconbridge, PC Catherine Maunder-Green, PC Liam Michie, PC James
Heavey, PC Matthew West, PC Jonathan Raynor and PC Georgina Gallagher
A vicious stabbing took place in the city centre earlier this year, where a man was found
with life-threatening injuries. Officers attended the scene and provided vital CPR, as well as
a tourniquet, to save his life.
While PC Faulconbridge and PC Maunder-Green were tending to the victim, PC Heavey
found and arrested the suspect. They did all of this in a chaotic and distressing situation,
staying focused and still managing to save the man’s life.
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PC Martin Giddy, PC Craig Grimley, and PC Lee Lane
While carrying out Operation Relentless in the city centre, officers came across two men
acting suspiciously. Both men had drugs on them. While the officers were dealing with
the suspects, one of them ran away. PC Craig Grimley ran after him and the man started
fighting with him. PC Martin Giddy came to Craig’s aid and during the violent struggle,
the officers realised that the man had a knife.
During this time, the second man started to fight with PC Lee Lane. Both men were
successfully arrested and the knife and drugs were recovered. All of the officers were
injured during the violence, but they showed incredible bravery and professionalism in a
very dangerous situation.
PC Victoria Parkes, PC Kevin Kirk, PC Michael Grant, PC Vanessa Wightman, PC Ian Coleman, PC Paul Smith, PC Darren Chalk, PC Jonathan Whysall, PC David Stafford, PC Alasdair Gordon, PC Lisa Desantis, PC Andrew Wilkinson, PC Lee Frith, PC Peter Shaw, PC Bruce Arnold, PC Martyn Toombes, PC John Goodman, PC James Patterson, PC Martyn Swinscoe, PC Thomas Ditchfield, PC Michael Greenwood, and PC Jonathan
Morgan
Officers attended a safety call for a man who was believed to be in emotional difficulty.
PC Victoria Parkes, PC Kevin Kirk, PC Michael Grant and PC Vanessa Wightman visited the
man, who was showing signs of great distress.
Officers spoke with him, engaged him and showed great interpersonal skills to persuade
him to get support. While support was being arranged, the man left the room and came
back with a handgun.
Officers managed to leave the address safely, finding cover behind their police car and
then from a nearby house. While finding cover, the officers contacted the Control Room
for back-up from firearms officers. The man left his house with a weapon, got into a car
and began ramming police cars and a neighbour’s car.
A firearms unit pursued the man who was driving recklessly, putting the public in danger.
They bravely used tactical contact to drive into the car and safely stop it. The man was
arrested with the use of a Taser and weapons were recovered from his car and home.
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PC Darren Barnett and PC Ashley Smith
In February 2019, a call came in from a man who believed people were threatening him.
The man said that he had a knife and that he was going to hurt someone. Officers arrived
and found the man’s electronic tagging box on the ground, with anguished shouting
coming from inside the house and other residents at risk of harm. At this point, the man
had a knife in each hand. PC Barnett and PC Smith drew their CS spray without hesitation.
The man backed away, allowing the officers to move forward, take the knives and
restrain him. Because they were concerned for the safety of residents, the two officers put
themselves in danger to protect others. They showed exceptional bravery and courage.
PC David Keen
PC David Keen has been heavily involved in the development and enhancement of
police officer welfare, by being a key person in the force’s post incident procedures. David
has gone above and beyond for officers’ wellbeing, ensuring that their welfare is a priority
regardless of what they have been through. Dave has been a key player in implementing
support from the Police Firearms Officers Association to the entire force and remains
committed to the welfare and wellbeing of all officers at Nottinghamshire Police.
DI Justine Wilson, DC Ellie Langthorne, DC Karl Aram, DC Vicki McLean, Kevin Flint,
Catherine Turner OBE, Sally Hill, Dr John Wetton, Dr Celia May, Gordon Aspden and
Vickie Burgin
In 1988, a woman living in Hyson Green was horrifically raped at knife-point during a
burglary at her home. The offences were reported to police but, with forensic investigation
techniques still in their infancy, detectives were unable to secure a conviction despite
making a number of arrests. The victim, so traumatised by what had happened, never
returned to her home, deciding instead to make a fresh start abroad.
The case was archived and marked as ‘unsolved’ – and so it remained until it was
reviewed by the Regional Review Unit in 2013. The investigation that was launched
would eventually last six years, work across international boundaries and draw upon the
expertise of academics from the University of Leicester. The team identified 37 men who
were researched and eliminated before their search was narrowed down to a single
suspect: Benjamin Whitehead.
The complexities of this case cannot be understated and, thanks to the team’s
painstaking work, Whitehead was sentenced in 2018 to nine years and 10 months for rape
and eight years for aggravated burglary to run concurrently, with the judge commending
the officers, staff and scientists for their efforts.
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Police Cadet of the Year | His Honour JJ Teare, High Sheriff of Nottinghamshire
Katie Burt
Katie has shown her commitment to the community and has been selected as one of the
High Sheriff’s cadets. In this role she will be attending the Queen’s birthday ceremony and
Crown Court open day.
She has worked both as an individual and as part of a team and continues to take
responsibility and joint lead in group projects. Her dedication to the Nottinghamshire
Police cadet programme encompasses all of the PROUD values.
Volunteer of the Year | Presented by DCC Barber
Barbara Jameson
Barbara has supported Nottinghamshire Police as a volunteer for many years. Throughout
this time, she has been a key figure in Worksop and is very well-liked in the area.
She has worked tirelessly and been a pivotal figure, selflessly taking time out of her
personal life to give back to the community.
Barbara has been professional in all her work with the force and has proved to be a great
asset to the organisation.
Tracey Blincow
Tracey has shown great compassion and gone over and above what is expected when
staff members have needed care and support.
She continues to support staff out of work to make sure that their needs are met. Tracey
has supported terminally ill colleagues within the force and has personally ensured that
their welfare and pay have been attended to.
Tracey has organised multi-faith rooms across the force, working closely with the
representatives from different faith groups to make sure that their specific requirements
were met. She achieved this while maintaining an appropriate balance between
supporting colleagues and ensuring that the needs of the organisation are met.
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PCSO of the Year | Presented by DCC Barber
PCSO Simon Smith Simon has worked under considerable demand, linking closely with colleagues from Ashfield District Council to tackle drug users in a high profile area of Sutton town centre. His work with local retailers has helped to reduce issues with antisocial behaviour in the area. He has done this by sharing patrol plans, increasing intelligence and dispersing offenders.
Simon has created close relationships with different agencies and store managers, and has significantly reduced problems in the area as a result. By overseeing the delivery of Community Protection Warnings, he has had a really positive impact on the town centre. Simon is a high performer, as his continued hard work shows.
Police Staff of the Year | Presented by CC Guildford
Rebecca Buckle
Rebecca is a truly exceptional analyst and her determination to make a positive
difference to the people of Nottinghamshire shines through in everything that she does.
She is driven, passionate and enthusiastic about her work.
Rebecca constantly challenges accepted practice and does things differently, improving
effectiveness and providing better direction to those working on the front-line as a result.
She has worked hard to improve her own skills in key areas, while also offering tireless
support to those around her.
Special Constable of the Year| Presented by DCC Barber
SC Simon Wragg SC Simon Wragg works as a Dispatcher in the Control Room and shows his incredible passion for the force by also being a Special Constable in his spare time.
Simon manages to perform in both roles thanks to his professionalism and effective time management. His personal resilience and dedication to the role make him a fantastic candidate for Special Constable of the Year.
Simon is a highly-motivated officer. Even after being assaulted while on duty, he couldn’t wait to get back out and support his colleagues on the front-line.
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DC Louise Donderici
DC Louise Donderici is an extremely hard-working and competent officer who gives 100%
to every investigation she is involved in.
One such case involved a 13-year-old girl who was pregnant. There were no details of
the father of the child and hostility from the family made the case even more fragmented
and difficult. Thanks to court orders and tenacious detective skills, Louise was able
to confirm that the girl had been sexually assaulted by her step father. With this new
information, efforts were immediately taken to find and arrest the offender, who tried to
evade the police by leaving the country.
Due to Louise’s tenacity and commitment to seeking justice for the child, the step
father was charged with statutory rape. Despite the pressures involved, Louise remained
determined and focused on the investigation, putting the child’s welfare ahead of all else.
Police Officer of the Year| Presented by CC Guildford
PC James Gill
PC James Gill has been at the forefront of the TV programme UK Cops: Bodycam Squad,
where he has acted as a role model and a fantastic ambassador for the force. His
professionalism has been instrumental in increasing public confidence in the police.
James displays the PROUD values on a daily basis and is a hard-working officer with a
positive attitude. He attended one particularly dangerous incident where a man had
jumped into a river. Whilst liaising with colleagues and building a rapport with the man,
James managed to pull him from the water and stop him from being swept away by the
current.
James has also developed a bespoke search on Niche to identify outstanding suspects
in the Gedling area. His approach to locating these suspects has been relentless and he
has been responsible for arresting many people for outstanding offences.
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Sue Butler
Sue has consistently delivered an excellent standard of service to the force over many
years, and has never faltered.
Sue respects people’s individual needs and treats everyone with dignity. She has been
extremely caring and kind in her role, ensuring that any issues are resolved in a timely
manner.
She is undoubtedly committed to the organisation and always works to uphold the force’s
reputation. She has always been willing to travel to do work for the force and to train staff.
Sue has shown an unwavering commitment and dedication to serving others throughout
her career.
DS Susan Howell
DS Susan Howell is a long-serving officer who has not only been the driving force behind
numerous serious and complex fraud investigations, but she is also leading efforts to
change the way colleagues think about fraud. Susan has great enthusiasm for the
subject and has worked effectively with many officers across the force. Susan provides
training and support and always manages to find the time to help others. Her work ethic
is of the highest standard, and her skills and abilities are matched by her tenacious and
determined approach.
Susan has initiated and supported the National Economic Crime Victims Care Unit,
which assesses people’s ongoing vulnerability and delivers protection advice. Her efforts
are a major coup for Nottinghamshire Police, with only one other county force having a
similar arrangement. Her work to protect potential victims of fraud has resulted in people
in Nottinghamshire generally being much less trusting of cold callers. This should pay
dividends in the future and help to significantly reduce the workload of detectives.
As well as receiving this award, Susan will also be presented with a runner-up award
after she received recognition at the Police Federation National Detective Forum (PFNDF)
Awards earlier this year.
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SAAB
Saab would like to congratulate all of tonight’s recipients of the Nottinghamshire Police Awards. The UK’s police serve an essential role in keeping our streets safe and ensuring that criminals are always playing catch-up. Every day, Nottinghamshire’s police are doing an outstanding job serving their communities and protecting more than a million people. Last year, Nottinghamshire Police became the fifth UK police force to adopt Saab’s command and control system, SAFE. The system is due to go live early next year, allowing officers in the field to access and update incident details, as well as capture and share information via their SAFE mobile app. We hope officers at Nottinghamshire Police will find that SAFE makes their lives easier and supports them in getting on with the job. To all attending tonight’s awards, Saab wishes you an enjoyable and well deserved evening.
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HCL
HCL Technologies is proud to sponsor the Nottinghamshire Police Awards 2019.
We would like to congratulate all those nominated for an award this evening, in recognition of their contribution in making Nottinghamshire a safe place to live and work in - we are proud of you!
HCL completely understands the challenges that UK police forces are under, both in terms of the commercial constraints, as well as the operational imperatives they are working within. We have accepted that not only does HCL have to provide a robust, proven and fit for purpose solution, we also have to ensure that it is affordable and sustainable.
The HCL mobility solution,“OPTIK”, provides better ways of working. It gives officers more information when and where they need it to be able to make informed decisions, facilitating the end-to-end process and allowing the officer to stay out on patrol for longer periods, giving the public more visibility of policing in their communities. These new end-to-end digitised processes not only help police forces come closer to their ‘digital first’ goals and reduce overheads, but also significantly reduce risks of error.
HCL is committed to delivering an intuitive end-to-end solution giving easy yet highly secure access to its users. Although the workflows and security within the solution are complex, HCL ensures that these complexities will not be detrimental to the user experience.
HCL has an excellent track record of delivering mobility solutions to UK police forces. The experience that we have will show that many of the systems that require integration will already be known to us, hence speeding up the delivery and supplying a far higher quality solution.
HCL’s global information technology presence across markets such as finance, construction, health care and aviation - even supplying services to other information technology providers such as Microsoft - puts HCL in a more advanced position to understand far better the technology trends and bring the development and innovation occurring in these other markets into the police domain.
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Nottinghamshire Police Federation
Congratulations to all of tonight’s recipients. All too often the contributions of front-line officers go unrecognised because officers believe they are ‘doing their job.’ We firmly believe that running towards danger when everyone else is running away or putting your own life in danger to save another is not simply ‘doing your job’, and we are proud to sponsor this event to help recognise this.
We are working with senior leaders in introducing an officer ‘assault pledge’ in Nottinghamshire, to demonstrate to our colleagues how serious we are – even one assault is one too many.
Nationally, the Police Federation represents and supports members, influences decision- making at a local and national level and negotiates conditions and pay on behalf of members. We continue to monitor what the Government is going to do regarding the ‘pension remedy’ and will of course fight to ensure all our members get the best deal possible.
Locally, we have been delighted to see the recruitment drive in Nottinghamshire continue, with our establishment reaching 2,000 police officers earlier this year. We will continue to work with the Chief Constable and his team to ensure our officer numbers are maintained at the highest level possible.
We have made huge progress in the last year, with many officers out on response carrying and effectively using Taser. We will continue to push for investment in this vital piece of protective equipment for officers in order to provide the best possible protection for them.
Once again, huge congratulations to everyone. We would be delighted for you to join us after the ceremony for a drinks reception, buffet and well-deserved celebration!
Mark Petrovic, Chairman | Mick Taylor, Secretary | Lisa Murray, Treasurer | Pam Hargreaves, Advisor | Mark Davis, Advisor | Katy Owen, Admin/Welfare Support
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