Somerset Policing Awards
| Published: 5th November 2008 16:11 |
Somerset's annual Policing Awards were held today (Wednesday November 5 2008) to recognise and reward police officers, police staff and members of the public for their outstanding contributions to keeping the Somerset community feel safe and be safe.
Chief Constable Colin Port, who presented some of the awards, said: "Officers from across Somerset have today been awarded for acts of bravery, personal courage and commitment in the execution of their duties.
"Members of the public have also been awarded for performing acts of merit in support of law and order.
"All of today's recipients truly deserve to be recognised for their actions and I would like to thank them for making Somerset a safer place to live, work and visit."
The winners of today's Awards Ceremony are as follows:
Angela Yeoman Award
Mr Andrew Manns, CSI, Taunton
The Angela Yeoman Award is presented in recognition of initiative, commitment and endeavour to increase community safety in the local area.
Andrew Manns works as a Crime Scene Investigator in Taunton and over the past three years has delivered numerous talks to the Taunton community in relation to the role of local police and specifically the impact that Scientific Investigation has on public safety.
Andrew has conducted various seminars to those interested in a career in CSI, advises Bridgwater College on content for their forensic degree course and has been a guest lecturer in Forensics at the London Metropolitan University.
Andrew's work helps to build upon public reassurance and he is widely regarded by his colleagues as a dedicated member of staff with a real enthusiasm for forensic science specifically related to community policing.
Waley Cohen and Crown Court Commendation
Mr Keith Perry, Wellington
The Waley Cohen Award is given to members of the public who perform meritorious acts in support of law and order. The Crown Court commendation is awarded for significant personal courage.
In February 2008 Mr Keith Perry was returning to his car after refuelling at a petrol station in Wellington, when he noticed that a man with a knife was attacking the cashier. Without hesitation Mr Perry bravely ran back to the shop where he attempted to restrain the man. The offender attempted to stab Mr Perry who managed to restrain the man until assistance arrived. The offender was charged with robbery and sentenced to a minimum of 35 months imprisonment. Mr Perry acted extremely bravely in bringing this man to justice.
Ray Robinson Award
Highbridge Neighbourhood Team (PS Ian Kennett, PC Adrain Jones, PC Ryan Dinham, PCSO Claire Chambers, PCSO Gill Udall).
Ray Robinson was a successful sportsman playing cricket and rugby before following a career in the police force until his retirement in 1978. After this time Ray worked tirelessly within the community until his death in 2002. The Ray Robinson Trophy is awarded to officers who have made the greatest contribution to improving community relations.
The Highbridge Safer Stronger Neighbourhood Team has been working tirelessly to tackle issues affecting the community including antisocial behaviour, bicycle thefts and bullying.
For example, PCSO Gill Udall set up a community youth club to provide a safe place for youngsters to meet friends and have some fun in a supervised environment. This was kicked of in 2005 with a football match between local police and Highbridge FC. Working with partner agencies Gill also secured a grant for £14,000 which was used for the refurbishment of the youth club premises. Without Gills' hard work and determination this invaluable asset for Highbridge would not exist.
Drug use and supply had also been identified as a key influence on antisocial behaviour in the area and so PC Adrian Jones, PC Ryan Dinham and the rest of the team have worked hard to earn the respect of the Highbridge Community by dealing with people fairly and tackling their issues with energy and enthusiasm. This in turn led to invaluable community intelligence resulting in the execution of numerous Misuse of Drugs Act warrants and arrests. Feedback from the community is that Highbridge is now a much nicer place to live.
To tackle cycle thefts in the area the Highbridge Neighbourhood team organised for local youths to attend a ten-week course where they could learn to repair unclaimed bicycles. Highbridge PCSOs then received road safety training and are now qualified to deliver Right Track cycle training in local Primary Schools. PCSO Claire Chambers also designed a 'vulnerable cycle tag' that contains crime prevention advice that are attached to any bicycles left vulnerable to theft.
Local officers have also devised a Schools Strategy Group to form closer links with local schools and partner agencies with the aim of tackling bullying and other disorder issues.
The team also worked with local housing providers, community groups and the YMCA to secure funding to provide youngsters with various diversionary activities and they have set up a regular beat surgery at ASDA.
Chief Constables Commendation
PS Mark Edgington, Street
In September 2007 police received a call from a man stating that he was armed with two knifes and was going to kill his wife.
Sgt Edgington arrived at the scene with two Special Constables and although the door was slammed shut on their arrival, he could see the armed man through a window.
Mark immediately made attempts to negotiate with the man and was able to calm him, until the offender's wife entered the room and he became aggressive and pushed his wife out of Mark's sight. Fearing for her safety, Mark gained entry to the property where he found the offender and his wife wrestling with the knives. Sgt Edgington quickly grabbed the man and pushed his wife to safety. Disarming the man, Mark then arrested him for threats to kill.
Due to Mark's quick and decisive actions this incident was brought to a swift and safe conclusion.
PC Raymond Byfield and PC Andy Stuart, Chard
In January 2008 PC Byfield and PC Stuart attended an address in Crewkerne following a report of a domestic dispute. They found man sitting in the entrance to the loft who began to verbally threaten the officers. Within less than a minute the man produced what the officers believed to be a handgun and pulled the trigger. Luckily, the gun did not fire, and the officers managed to forcibly detain the man and remove the gun from his grip. A violent struggle ensued in which both officers were injured. The man was later charged with common assault and given a 12-month community sentence.
Gordon Knight, Enquiry Officer for Criminal Justice Unit, Taunton
After retiring from Avon and Somerset Constabulary in 1995, Gordon Knight returned to the force in 1997 and has now been working in the Police Trials Unit for the past five years, preparing files for cases appearing at Taunton Crown Court.
In May 2007 Gordon received a file relating to an individual who had been arrested for numerous offences of making off from garages without paying. Following the initial arrest and sentencing, the offender was released from prison only to continue to commit similar offences. This resulted in a further 100 offences being investigated, 45 of which he was later charged for.
Gordon began to prepare his file for court, a complex and lengthy task, with a total of 90 witnesses, forensic evidence, a large quantity of CCTV footage, photographs and other exhibits.
The defendant pleaded guilty to 25 offences at Taunton Crown Court in April 2008 and on sentencing him to 20 months imprisonment, Judge Tabor QC commented on how impressed he was with the investigation and specifically the work carried out by Gordon.
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