Life-saving dedicated officers and staff honoured at North & West Devon Police Awards

Police officers, staff and volunteers gathered in North Devon on November 21 to receive certificates and commendations for their hard work and service at the annual North & West Devon Police Awards.

Those at the awards heard how the hard work and quick thinking of local officers had resulted in lives being saved at high risk to themselves in fraught and challenged situations, as well as the conviction of dangerous sexual predators and abusers.  

The annual ceremony was hosted by T/Chief Superintendent Jennifer Bristow, Policing Commander for North, East & West Devon and Superintendent Toby Davies, the Local Policing Area Commander for the sector. They were joined by other senior leaders from across the force area.

Supt Toby Davies said: “It was great to host the awards ceremony and hear so many examples of officers putting others before themselves.

“Hearing these stories of courage, determination, professionalism and achieving successful outcomes in complex and sensitive investigations - you cannot help but feel humbled and proud.

“We are fortunate to have such fantastic officers, partner agencies and members of our community helping to keep our area safe.”

Chief Superintendent Commendations were presented by T/Chf Supt Jennifer Bristow to various officers who had gone above and beyond to save lives or bring offenders to justice.

Officers commended at the North & West Devon Police Awards

Detective Constable James Punter and Police Constable Samuel Smith

Operation Hoptoad was the investigation into the sinister and calculated sexual exploitation of young females in the North Devon area.

The investigation team safeguarded multiple traumatised and vulnerable young girls, providing supportive interventions to maintain their wellbeing and engagement.

The officer’s dynamic and inventive approach resulted in the arrest of the offender and seizure of key evidence such as prepared ‘rape kits’ and criminal assets.

The team faced many challenges - including challenges to digital evidence - all of which were overcome. This led to the conviction of the offender for rape, offering to supply drugs for sexual services, possessing indecent images of children and paying for sexual services.

The offender was sentenced to 13 and a half years imprisonment and designated a dangerous offender.

Police Constable Matthew Farley – Youth Interventions Officer based in Bideford

In July this year PC Farley was the police representative in a social care meeting. He provided an historic report of domestic abuse of a mentally ill young person. The swiftness of the information sharing was highlighted by senior management partners as preventing the suicide of that vulnerable young person.

In the same meeting, PC Farley revealed a financially controlling domestic abuse situation, which had previously gone unreported. He highlighted and prevented the suicide of a juvenile and a potential domestic homicide.

Managers commented this instance was ‘absolute confirmation that we need effective partnership work and trusted inter-agency relationships’ which saves lives.

Police Sergeant Terry Sparrow, Police Constables Liam Hicks, Katie Harris, Sophie Watts, Stephan Howard, Michael Lessiter, Luke Dunstan and Sam Adams

The officers have been praised for professionalism, teamwork, initiative, courage, and resilience after the rescue of a man who jumped from the Taw Bridge in front of officers.

Officers overcame their shock, managed to locate the man and communicated effectively to concentrate police and partner agency efforts in the right location.

Despite severe injuries the man survived thanks to the efforts of the officers; some of whom entered the water at personal risk to bring him to safety.

Superintendent Certificates were presented to:

Police Constables Ross Williamson and Dan Oliver, Police Community Support Officer Adrienne Drury and Special Constable David Branchett

Police were called to the cliffs in Ilfracombe in relation to a distressed female in a dangerous position. The officers attended and quickly and efficiently took control of the situation.

PC Williamson engaged with the female atop the cliffs putting her safety before his own. While speaking to officers the female attempted to take some pills but was physically prevented from doing so by PC Williamson.

With a sterile area created by the officers and excellent co-ordination the female was safely recovered from the dangerous position and taken to hospital to receive the care she urgently required.

Police Constables Fenella Eastaugh, Cole Underwood, Luke Dunstan and Sam Adams

Police were called to Westward Ho! to locate a distressed female who had gone missing while expressing a desire to end her life.

The female was found by PCs Eastaugh and Underwood high on the cliffs in a remote area. The officers were quickly joined by PCs Adams and Dunstan. PC Eastaugh engaged with her while the other officers positioned themselves to react if the female attempted to harm herself.

PC Eastaugh successfully persuaded her away from danger - despite it only being the officer’s second week on the response team.

All officers showed courage and put themselves in harm’s way to ensure the safety of the vulnerable female.

Police Community Support Officer Karen Grant – Barnstaple 

While PCSO Grant was on patrol, she found a man on the wrong side of the railings, distressed and wanting to end his life. 

She talked to him, but he kept putting one foot out as though to step off, eventually attempting to jump.

Karen and her fellow officer (who wishes to remain anonymous) managed to grab the man and pinned him to the railings.

A passerby saw the officers struggling and ran, barefoot, to help bring the man back to the correct side of the railings. Without his help there could have been a very different outcome.

Police Constable Daniel Rolfe and Matthew O’Connor – based in Barnstaple

In March this year, the officers responded to a call about a man who wanted to end his life. Upon locating the man they assisted him and held him until further help arrived. Immediately after being saved the man became resistant and the officers struggled to detain him as he tried to get away.

Despite being covered in mud and suffering injuries, the officers at the scene managed to gain control of the man, save the man from further harm and ensured he received medical treatment. They also remained compassionate and professional throughout.

Detective Sergeants Elaine Westerman and Ian Griffiths, Detective Constables James Punter, Gavin Jordan, Sarah Richards, Anna Revill, Ben McLeod, Louise Timmins, Beverly Carrivick, Craig Ferguson and Bradley Stow

North and West Devon CID team has continued to deliver exceptional results on some very challenging investigations.

Each officer holds a high volume of complex investigations, yet repeatedly they go above and beyond, maintaining a can-do attitude.

The team are an example of professionalism, dedication and hard work and are recognised for their overall accomplishments and high quality service delivery to the communities of North and West Devon. Each officer is an asset to both the Local Policing Area and the wider Force.

Detective Sergeant Ian Griffiths, Police Sergeant Daniel Revill, Detective Constable Bradley Stow, Police Constables Stephan Howard, Matthew O’Connor, Liam Smith, Fraser Reeves, Sophie Parish, Dan Hardy and Crime Scene Investigator Laura Warriner

In October 2022 there was an aggravated burglary in Bideford during which two people entered a caravan in the early hours and made threats to the occupants, as well as assaulting them. The initial police response resulted in the offenders being located nearby.

Those officers and staff involved in the investigation, from initial report to conclusion, worked tirelessly to obtain convictions in court. The two offenders were remanded in custody and later received substantial prison sentences.

Inspector for Torridge Ewan Seear, Police Constables Lydia Fallaize, Robert Toms and Matt South

Torridge Inspector Ewan Seear along with PCs Lydia Fallaize, Robert Toms and Matt South attended a report of a person suspected to have fallen from a bridge over the A39 in Bideford and in need of urgent medical assistance. 

Inspector Seear arrived first on scene and due to the difficult location had to force his way through brambles and across mud flats carrying medical equipment to administer first aid. His colleagues arrived a matter of minutes later and, without a thought for their own safety, joined their fellow officer to assist in the harrowing conditions.

Police Constable Terry Hodgson

Terry is an experienced and diligent officer who took ownership of a complex and protracted investigation. He took personal responsibility to progress it, despite the distressing circumstances involving allegations of a sexual nature within a family home.

Terry showed high levels of resilience throughout, and, when the case came to trial, he continued to work to the highest standard. The Judge ordered a re-trial due to circumstances outside of his control.

The final outcome saw the perpetrator sentenced to nine years imprisonment and he was given an additional lifetime preventative order. Terry showed commitment and compassion throughout to the victim and their family.

Also present at the awards event was recently retired Detective Inspector Prav Naidoo who received a certificate to mark his 23 years of service with Devon & Cornwall Police.