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Our annual TeamSWP Awards return this evening, as Chief Constable Jeremy Vaughan takes the opportunity to honour some of the organisation's finest officers, staff, and volunteers, as well as some of our partners; individuals and teams who have gone above and beyond in their role.
The awards categories, and the finalists in each, are:
Sergeant Holly Price and Constable Jordan Rockey
Sergeant Price and Constable Rockey responded to a report that a man was pouring petrol over himself and intended to set himself on fire. He had a significant mental health footprint on our systems and warning markers for attempting to harm officers.
At the address, the officers got no answer at the front door so forced entry to the back garden where they found the man sat on a chair, covered with petrol, and a lighter in each hand. Both Sergeant Price and Constable Rockey negotiated with him, however within minutes the man set his legs alight. Without thought for her own safety, Sergeant Price ran forward, tipped the man off the chair, and without a fire blanket available used her hands to roll him to distinguish the flames. Constable Rockey ran back to patrol vehicle to get a fire extinguisher and alert the fire service who were at the scene, before returning to assist Sergeant Price.
Thanks to their bravery and quick thinking, the man had only 20% burns to his legs and went on to receive mental health support.
Territorial Support Team 4
A man barricaded himself inside at a property in Swansea, threatened to turn on the gas and blow up the house should officers approach.
Sergeant Stevens and his team set up cordons and evacuated nearby residents while fire and rescue and gas utilities colleagues identified a gas cut off switch on the far side of the house. The team covertly assessed that they could gain access the property via a neighbouring garden without alerting the man to their presence. At the same time a police negotiator had engaged the man in dialogue at the front of the house, where he continued to make threats and was in possession of a kitchen knife.
Matters escalated as the man ripped the gas oven from the wall but fortunately the team quickly deactivated the gas supply. He then attempted to escape from the property out of a rear window while still in possession of a knife where he was apprehended by the team.
The actions and bravery of the team averted two incidents that could have caused significant injury or death to the man, his neighbours, and emergency services at the scene.
Detective Constable Tyler Rowland
Detective Constable Tyler Rowland was off duty and paddleboarding at a beach when he became aware of a young man in difficulty in the sea. DC Rowland immediately headed to him and dived in to locate the 15-year-old. He managed to get hold of him and get him to shore, but he was not breathing. DC Rowland began CPR.
Police colleagues joined DC Rowland at the scene having responded to the emergency call and helped him provide CPR until the ambulance arrived.
This was a challenging and fast-paced incident, yet DC Rowland did not hesitate to in helping the young man, giving no thought to the potential harm to himself. At the time of the incident, DC Rowland had only recently joined South Wales Police.
Operation Viscaria
There had been several incidents of serious violence within Swansea City Centre along with a notable rise in street robberies, shoplifting, and anti-social behaviour (ASB), leading to the city being described as “unsafe” by local partners.
To address this, Operation Viscaria saw a range of police tactics deployed which, just weeks into the operation, had reduced crime and ASB in the area. A survey was carried out which revealed 72.05% of those asked felt safe in the city centre in comparison to 19.1% in September 2023.
Russell Greenslade, Chief Executive of Swansea BID said:
“This targeted tactical operation, strategically implemented to address the issues raised by our 800+ stakeholders in the city centre, stands as a welcomed, strong, and decisive move.
“The enhanced police presence, supported by our investment, has already made a significant impact, fostering a safer and more welcoming environment in our growing city centre. I am confident that these positive changes will continue to unfold.
“The results speak volumes about the unwavering commitment of all partners to provide a safe and thriving city centre.”
Op Dunlin
Penlan Neighbourhood Policing Team identified a significant increase locally in anti-social behaviour, drug dealing, use of off-road motorcycles, criminal damage and arson, along with generational mistrust in South Wales Police by residents.
They expressed that they felt they had no voice, and although there was a sense of community with key individuals working tirelessly to make improvements, without coordination their efforts were frustrated. There was a clear need for partners and stakeholders to come together to address the issues raised.
The policing team worked with the local councillors and the local authority, Pobl Housing, First Cymru Buses, and Swans Foundation to secure additional funding, provide support to key individuals on the estate, improve recreational areas, work with youth services, and hold community engagement events including free football coaching sessions.
At its peak an average of 34 ASB occurrences were reported per month which declined to single figures by the end of 2023.
Op Dunlin was recently highlighted as best practice during an internal problem-solving conference.
Detective Constable Steven Davies
In 2016, while on the beat, DC Davies saved the life of a member of the public using a defibrillator. He has since dedicated his time to improving access to defibrillators locally, fundraising more than £50,000 to purchase and maintain this life-saving equipment, and train a network of people to use them.
In addition to the defibrillator project, DC Davies has committed to supporting charities such as the Wales Air Ambulance, completing several half marathons, triathlons and the Iron Man challenge to raise funds.
Mick Antoniw MS said:
“Every community needs an energetic champion like Steve Davies, but very few are blessed with someone quite so committed and effective."
Last year, DC Davies received a Prime Minister’s ‘Points of Light’ award which recognises outstanding individual volunteers.
Sergeant Alison Robinson
Sergeant Robinson transferred to South Wales Police in December 2022 and quickly joined the Gender Equality Network (GEN) and asked about setting up a peer support group for baby loss. She had a personal connection and was passionate about supporting people who had experienced it.
By September 2023, Sergeant Robinson had a list of officers and staff willing to be involved, and arranged and promoted a baby loss webinar ahead of Baby Loss Awareness Week. This included identifying a guest speaker from SANDS charity and securing funding.
Following the success of the webinar, Sergeant Robinson drafted a term of reference which she presented to the GEN to officially launch the baby loss peer support group and arranged for an intranet page to be developed. She turned this all around in less than six months. Sergeant Robinson now chairs two monthly meetings with the peer support group which offers a space for colleagues – female and male – to share their experiences or seek advice to support someone else.
Sergeant Robinson’s work directly contributes to the Chief Constable’s Delivery Plan of prioritising health and wellbeing, demonstrating supportive leadership, and prioritising inclusivity.
Police Community Support Officer Patrick Dunbar
PCSO Dunbar has positively promoted equality, diversity, and inclusion in his role as a PCSO with many communities in Swansea, going above and beyond to ensure that several minority groups feel valued and have a voice.
When a new mosque opened in Sketty, PCSO Dunbar worked with community leaders, formulating a plan to address both the needs of the members of the mosque and the community with weekly drop-in sessions arranged. This was followed with a session for young people, which is held every Saturday, along with a summer youth club. Later, PCSO Dunbar also put in place an over-50s group, and started the Officer’s Blog on the mosque website with advice and information.
PCSO Dunbar has also worked with the LGBTQ+ community, introducing a coffee morning in Mumbles. This was supported by the local councillor and the drop-in sessions were widely advertised with a great response. This engagement has improved cohesion and benefited the entire community. These are just two examples of PCSO Dunbar’s work. His commitment to equality, diversity, and inclusion is demonstrated daily.
Becky Llewellyn, Forensic Footwear Officer
Becky strives to educate herself on all aspects of inequality, to understand the issues that affect our diverse communities, and promote inclusion.
Becky used her initiative to utilise a space where members of the Joint Scientific Investigation Unit and the Public Service Centre can engage, educate themselves, and promote events to encourage inclusivity. This idea has been disseminated forcewide as an example of how to create inclusive spaces.
She is also actively engaged with our Staff Support Networks, offering her assistance wherever she can, from editing LGBT+ Staff Network promotional material and attending Pride events, through to helping with Welsh translations.
Becky is also a point of contact for our Positive Action Team and has shadowed the Equality, Diversion and Inclusion Team to ensure she was prepared for the role. Becky does not take any responsibility lightly and is always eager to learn and listen.
Bike Safe
Bike Safe is a road safety initiative where members of the motorcycle community, who are vulnerable road users, can receive inputs from advanced motorcyclists on safe riding practices and get feedback on their riding to help them improve.
The Bike Safe team is proud to be in the top five in the country for the number of workshop places and quality of content. This would not be possible without these dedicated police support volunteers, many of whom have been championing road safety for South Wales Police for over 15 years.
Between February and October last year, the volunteers gave their time to support 20 workshops helping around 200 motorcyclists improve their riding skills. This is more than 500 hours of work.
As well as volunteering with South Wales Police, many of the team also volunteer with other organisations as tutors to further improve road safety.
Police Youth Volunteer Ellie Deguara
Ellie joined the Police Youth Volunteers (PYVs) two years ago and has never missed a session. She has supported more than 50 activities and volunteered in excess of 200 hours.
Ellie assisted with the Young Voices forum where she reviewed the results of the sessions, identified the top four priorities and explored how they could be tackled. She then presented these, along with three other PYVs, to the senior management team, which included the Police and Crime Commissioner.
One of the concerns was young people feeling unsafe in Heath Park, Cardiff, and following further research the lack of lighting in the park was found to be the main issue. This is now being addressed with Cardiff Council.
Ellie is also committed to supporting fundraising and engagement events such as the Cardiff Half Marathon and Halloween parties in the Rhiwbina and Grangetown areas of Cardiff. Ellie will always make a great effort, dressing up and encouraging everyone taking part. She goes above and beyond what is expected.
Ellie has really grown in the role and goes out of her way to help new volunteers feel welcome, and to ensure that the whole group is supported.
Special Sergeant Benjamin Johns
Special Sergeant Johns joined our Special Constabulary in January 2015. His contribution in his own time is substantial – 1,107 hours in 2023 – and he has been instrumental in several operations where his leadership and expertise have been invaluable.
A recent example is his collaboration with Cardiff Council and the Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA) to check taxi operators. Approximately 150 licensed vehicles were stopped, which resulted in outcomes including a vehicle seized for no insurance, vehicles taken off the road by the DVSA due to their dangerous condition, others prohibited for serious faults with steering, suspension or tyres, more than 25 vehicles issued with defect notices requiring repair within 10 days, and several fines issued.
Of this operation, Chief Inspector Jeff Lewis said:
“Awesome as always. A tremendous piece of work in an area we often find very hard to resource.”
Along with supporting planned operations, Special Sergeant Johns and his team also assist officers at incidents and with investigations. He recently led a team of Specials to quickly identify a suspect and witnesses, and secure evidence, which resulted in the assailant being charged with grievous bodily harm with intent.
Special Sergeant Johns’ commitment to his team of Special Constables is unwavering. He is known for his approachable nature and willingness to mentor colleagues and support their development.
Not the One Campaign Team
The #NotTheOne campaign takes a new approach to knife crime prevention, based on insight from young people and the latest academic research.
The early-intervention and prevention campaign targets 11 to 16-year-olds, with a focus on engaging boys, by equipping trusted adults such as coaches, teachers, youth workers, and police officers with the resources to educate young people on the consequences of carrying a knife. The campaign launched in March 2022.
Phase one included three video interviews with knife-crime victims and family members of victims, as well as quizzes, lesson plans and fact sheets, all of which were hosted on the NotTheOne website, and shared with professionals through e-marketing and word of mouth. Phase one had 100,000 engagements on Facebook, Instagram and TikTok, and 1,000 education packs were downloaded.
The second phase built on the lessons learned from phase one, and included a film scripted by young writers from Cardiff Metropolitan University, an ‘In Conversation’ interview with a youth worker to give practical advice, and a new ‘get inspired’ section on the website so professionals can see examples of how others have used the campaign.
The campaign has resulted in a 12% drop in knife crime across south Wales – reversing the national trend – and the Home Office shares the campaign as an example of best practice which has led to it being adopted by several UK police forces.
Constable Jonathan Abel
A group of young people aged 12 to 17 years old came to prominence in Merthyr Tydfil in 2022. They were involved in many incidents including assaults, criminal damage, and robberies involving weapons. This negatively impacted on the local community and generated significant demand for the local policing team.
To help tackle this and because he also had concerns for the group members themselves, Constable Abel secured six Criminal Behaviour Orders (CBOs). This was a significant milestone because when several members did subsequently breach their order, responding officers could take direct action.
Constable Abel became an ‘expert’ on the group and went above and beyond his role – contributing to the problem-solving profile and towards investigations. He also shared his knowledge with and supported external partners. This allowed for further action against the group in relation to housing, and in particular a property that had become a meeting point, including prior to members of the group committing an armed robbery at a local store.
Constable Abel has been a trailblazer in using tactics available such as CBOs and closure order applications to disrupt groups like this one, and he has shared his learning with other ASB coordinators for best practice. He has a passion for policing and is a problem-solver who will address the short-term issues and find long-term solutions.
Joint Scientific Investigation Unit (JSIU) Quality and Accreditation Team
Accreditation is a critical area of business to ensure forensic evidence is seized, examined, and presented in line with the strict codes of practice set out by the Forensic Service Regulator and UKAS Inspection Teams. The unit is assessed against the International Standard Organisation (ISO) 17020 and 17025 and the Forensic Service Regulator Codes of Practice.
In October 2023, the Forensic Regulator Code became an act of law, which has a huge impact on the way in which forensic outcomes were delivered in forensic reporting. Without the accreditations awarded, JSIU would not be able to assist investigations and provide the forensic evidence to help bring offenders to justice.
Achieving this was a huge task to complete in a collapsing timeframe, however the skills and motivation within the team ensured it was completed on time and in line with the new act. Adherence to this new act ensures compliance in many areas and no cases in court to date have been challenged.
Cardiff Rape Investigation Team
This team secured the conviction of Liam Stimpson, a serious sexual predator who preyed on a homeless woman. Stimpson had approached the victim in Cardiff city centre and offered to buy her food. What followed was a frenzied and brutal attack.
Response officers swiftly delivered compassionate care to the victim and worked with the CCTV camera operator to identify the suspect and detain him.
The investigation team then worked methodically to identify the scene of the offence and find the victim’s clothing, which had been concealed by the suspect. Detectives also managed to get into the suspect’s phone where they discovered the horrifying recording of the attack. Stimpson was charged with four offences, including rape and grievous bodily harm.
The jury needed to see the footage but were at risk of trauma by watching it. As such, specialist forensic imaging officers painstakingly worked to produce a product for the trial. The officer in the case also worked with and supported the victim so she was able to give evidence. The guilty verdict was unanimous. Stimpson was sentenced to 15 years in prison and is a lifetime registered sex offender.
Serious Collision Investigation Unit
A driver failed to stop at the scene of a collision with a cyclist, leaving without trying to help the victim, who had to have a leg amputated. There were no witnesses to the collision and the only evidence was a wing mirror case left at the scene. CCTV was available from a location set back from the road, leaving identification impossible.
Thirty-one premises were visited, 113 pieces of CCTV footage viewed, and covert work undertaken to find the vehicle with damage to its wing mirror post collision. It was established it had been sold the day following the incident to a man in England.
Damage to the vehicle matched the damage on the bike the victim had been riding and showed that the vehicle was travelling an average speed of no less than 52mph.
The wing mirrors were sent for comparison of paint which strongly supported the proposition that the wing mirror at scene and the wing mirror on the recovered vehicle came from same vehicle.
Two mobile phones were retrieved from the suspect and downloaded confirming that the phone could be attributed to the suspect and disprove their account that they were away in Tenby at the time of the collision. The team were also able to see that following the collision the suspect had contacted 15 vehicle scrap dealers.
The Crown Prosecution Service authorised a charge for causing serious injury by driving without due care, and perverting the course of justice.
Detective Constable Eleanor Dallas
DC Dallas is part of a team that investigates serious and complex cases involving children, which often have a profound effect on the victim, their loved ones, and the investigator.
A 12-year-old victim came forward to tell us what had happened to her at the hands of the perpetrator, and this helped two other adult victims disclose what had happened to them. The perpetrator had committed abuse for nearly half a century.
DC Dallas completed a thorough and protracted investigation, managing complex disclosure issues, and working closely with the Crown Prosecution Service. Gathering evidence included the examination of hundreds of documents and digital data, and led to numerous charges including, rape, sexual assault, child cruelty, and voyeurism. DC Dallas also supported the families whilst waiting for the trial.
The perpetrator was convicted of 27 offences and sentenced to 30 years in prison. They were described as an ‘entrenched paedophile’ and a danger to children.
During the same period DC Dallas had four crown court trials ongoing which resulted in sentences exceeding 50 years.
Detective Chief Inspector Andrew Bartholomew
DCI Bartholomew works in our Safeguarding and Public Protection Command and manages the POLIT (Police Online Investigation Team) where he has implemented many changes to improve performance. DCI Bartholomew also improved how we manage offenders.
In addition to this, DCI Bartholomew stepped into the role of Senior Investigating Officer for Operation Tisbury, the investigation into former police constable Lewis Edwards, who abused hundreds of children online. He led a multi-disciplinary team, ensuring all investigative avenues were covered, and that he had the support of our specialist teams, plus several UK forces and the NCA as the offending was worldwide.
DCI Bartholomew had some challenging conversations with the Crown Prosecution Service yet achieved a trial delay to ensure that the maximum number of victims were acknowledged in the charging. Edwards received a life sentence. He later challenged this sentence at the court of appeal and was unsuccessful. This case has now set a legal precedent.
To help prevent a case like this again, DCI Bartholomew and colleagues have since engaged with the social media platforms used by Edwards to abuse his victims to challenge them to better police their content. He is also leading a police team to deliver a series of educational inputs to parents to help them keep their children safe.
Police Community Support Officer Amy Hughes
PCSO Hughes is a committed Police Community Support Officer, Rural and Wildlife Officer, and Police Youth Volunteer (PYV) leader. She puts 100% into everything she does, going above and beyond the requirements of her day job.
PCSO Hughes makes the Police Youth Volunteer scheme fun and engaging and focuses on building a foundation for the future of young people. This is reflected in how proud they are to wear the uniform and represent South Wales Police.
The Police Youth Volunteers often ask for inputs from police departments and external agencies, and PCSO Hughes will always make every effort to arrange these visits for the group to help them achieve their goals.
One Police Youth Volunteer said:
“Amy has really helped me to settle into the PYVs, she has been a great, fun, and encouraging leader. She enabled me to complete my Welsh Baccalaureate community work and has supported and motivated me throughout.”
Constable Philip John
PC Philip John joined our Territorial Support Team in 2021 following previous service in the Metropolitan Police and Royal Marines.
PC John also helps develop the skills of officers across the force as a Taser instructor, a public order trainer, and a Public Order Public Safety Advisor (POPSA).
PC John has a can-do attitude, and he genuinely cares for the wellbeing of his colleagues, so wants to equip them with the correct skills to do their job effectively and safely. This includes designing the recruitment assessment centres to be a robust, multi-staged process intended to test and measure the skills of officers applying for the territorial support role.
He can work at strategic, tactical and operational levels, over and above his substantive rank. In 2023 he was deployed to numerous high-profile events such as the disorder in Ely.
Silver commander Superintendent Esyr Jones said:
“Phil has earned a reputation among the command cadre as a highly competent and reliable tactical advisor; senior leaders across the force put their trust and confidence in Phil during the most high-pressured situations.”
Former Constable Paul Union
Paul retired in June after 28 years on the frontline working with the communities of Grangetown.
Described as a ‘true street cop’ with an overwhelming understanding of local community dynamics, Paul was a trusted face and was able to reassure and reduce tensions on several occasions through his consistent approach.
He is known for his proactive nature and commitment to pursuing criminals, with a commendation in 1998 for securing arrests for possession with intent to supply and theft of high-value motor vehicles, and further recognition in 2003 for his tenacity in identifying and arresting a local man after he injured a fellow police officer whilst on duty.
Paul has also been recognised for preventing harm and protecting vulnerable people, with little thought to his own safety. Standout examples include:
Detective Sergeant Gareth Thornton
DS Thornton began his police career in 2000 and became a detective in 2005. He has consistently demonstrated leadership whilst managing some of the most high-profile, complex investigations in our area, including the murder of Dr Gary Jenkins, the gross negligence manslaughter of Jeffrey Plevey, an attempted murder, and the dismantling and prosecution of a significant Organised Crime Group from North London.
DS Thornton has shown a real commitment to colleagues through motivating teams to succeed not only for victims, bereaved families, and witnesses, but also to ensure that they reach their potential.
Colleagues have said:
“His unwavering support, approachability and profound knowledge significantly enhanced my experience.”
“The best supervisor to date. Always approachable and puts others first even if it means putting himself out.”
Meanwhile, his line manager described DS Thornton as being “without doubt one of the most highly respected, hard-working, enthusiastic, professional and conscientious individuals that I have worked with during my 23 years with South Wales Police”.
Alison Davies, Station Enquiry Officer
Alison joined South Wales Police in January 1984 and has spent most of her 40 years’ service as a station enquiry officer.
Alison's warm nature and can-do attitude means she is highly respected by colleagues and the many members of the public that she has met and assisted.
In June 2009, at Porthcawl Police Station, a man named Phillip Packer disclosed to Alison that he had killed his estranged girlfriend Jenna Thomas, and that she was in his vehicle outside the station. Alison dynamically arranged for officers to be deployed to the scene to detain Packer, preserve evidence, and ensure the dignity of the victim.
In addition to Alison's role as a station enquiry officer, she is also a deputy team leader and a tutor, allowing her to share her experience, knowledge, and work ethic with new colleagues, which is invaluable.
Colin Probert, ICT Network Specialist
Colin has been instrumental in delivering many complex projects which have improved communications capabilities within our organisation and for the communities we serve.
This includes transforming our telephony from an analogue platform to a state-of-the-art digital system. Under his leadership, we were one of the first forces to complete this transformation project, showcasing Colin’s forward-thinking approach and commitment to technological advancement.
His oversight of the Control Room Rationalisation Project, which reduced three operational control rooms to a single, multi-agency state-of-the-art control room with a failover site, exemplifies his strategic vision and operational excellence, along with his collaborative spirit. His partnerships with BT in defining and testing 999 failover technology have set a benchmark in emergency response protocols.
Colin has also introduced Openscape Voice and Openscape Contact Centre (High-Path) internally and played a key role in assisting Gwent Police and the fire service during their transitions too. He's also supported several major projects such as the NATO summit and the King's visit.
Mike Parry, Head of Analysis
Mike has been a pioneer in the analytical side of policing locally, nationally, and internationally.
He has tirelessly promoted the value of intelligence analysis, prepared compelling reports, and used innovative approaches to combine different data sets to give new insights into threat, risk and harm and provide critical data to front-line officers and staff in a quick and efficient way. Mike has also introduced other intelligence and mapping systems, which have greatly enhanced the analytical output locally.
While seconded with the National Police Chiefs’ Council, Mike helped to develop the Intelligence Professionalisation Programme for analysts and researchers, and he set up the National Analyst Capability Board. He has also been instrumental in developing the capabilities of the Police National Database.
Op Arbroath
Operation Arbroath was delivered in two phases. First, a new scheme called LEAD – Local Environmental Awareness on Dogs – was introduced to encourage responsible dog ownership. This had been successful in London following a fatal dog attack in 2010.
Phase two of the operation commenced when the Government announced a ban on XL Bullies in England and Wales. The dog section and intelligence team took a proactive approach to tackling this ban: identifying dogs, owners, and premises which were then graded in advance of any enforcement, based on potential threat, harm, and risk.
More than 250 potential XL Bully dogs were identified, and officers spoke to their owners, giving notification of the pending law change and guidance around applying for exemption. This also allowed additional information gathering, as the dog handlers could either confirm or negate the dog as an XL Bully.
The dog section and local officers went on to complete multiple warrants and enforcement activities. Nationally, we have been deemed one of the most proactive forces in England and Wales in our response to the XL Bully ban. We continue to work closely with the Crown Prosecution Service and have multiple court cases and prosecutions pending.
Operation Grey Atlantic
This operation focused on outstanding suspects in the Cardiff and Vale area and aimed to improve the division’s response to protecting the most vulnerable people in our community through the pursuit of perpetrators.
The operation has been delivered in three stages over a three-month period each time. The combined results for the three iterations were 616 suspects arrested, 287 of which were for domestic violence matters – great work for a team of just six officers at any one time.
The operation also identified other areas for development such as contact with victims and improving case files. It also put officers in the right place at the right time on several occasions, including when a baby was in cardiac arrest at a nearby address and officers attended immediately to commence CPR until the ambulance service arrived.
Due to the work of these officers, Cardiff and Vale consistently have low numbers of outstanding domestic violence and abuse suspects despite recording the highest number of domestic violence and abuse cases in the force area.
Operation Wormit
Operation Wormit is the investigation into an Organised Crime Group (OCG) responsible for conveying prohibited articles into prisons UK wide using drones. It began when two packages were recovered from Parc Prison.
Officers conducted intelligence and automatic number-plate recognition (ANPR) checks and identified a vehicle of interest that had travelled from London. The vehicle was located and searched, and when a drone was found, the driver was arrested.
The drone was examined by the digital forensic unit and from the download it was established that 23 flights into six different prisons had taken place. This information, combined with data from the mobile phone of the person arrested, plus APNR data, helped the investigation team compile a timeline of events and identify three further suspects.
Warrants were obtained and officers travelled to Essex where they liaised with local police and arrested two people. Officers recovered two mobile phones which put the defendants at the location of some of the drone flights and contained messages about drone drops. The team then headed to London to arrest another suspect, where they identified a further suspect at the address.
A police drugs expert estimated that up to £1.4 million worth of prohibited articles were conveyed into six different prisons in less than a month. The five defendants pleaded guilty to the charges.
Sergeant Jacob Rollnick and Mandy Flood, Trading Standards
Sergeant Rollnick and Mandy led their respective teams to investigate and dismantle a group who used several stores in Cardiff, Barry and Bridgend as a front for selling unlawful tobacco products and/or psychoactive substances. It allowed them to launder money totalling £1.8 million, which is thought to be one of the biggest cases of illegal tobacco smuggling in Wales.
Although the group thought they were operating with impunity, with the shops appearing to sell legitimate produce, what they did not know was that they were being monitored and there was overwhelming evidence to find them guilty of these offences. All members were convicted of carrying out a business for a fraudulent purpose and were sentenced to a total of 25 years' imprisonment, and nine years as suspended sentences.
The judge stated that the public were sold sub-standard products and there were vulnerable victims, as individual cigarettes were sold to underage children, and the selling of nitrous oxide was potentially dangerous as it could be misused.
An excellent example of how two agencies came together to address a problem that was negatively affecting local communities.
Operation Hypagon
A 19-year-old in the Llanedeyrn area was seriously assaulted, and there were three further incidents in quick succession, each involving machetes, which were believed to be in retaliation to the initial stabbing.
A robust and consistent approach was required to prevent further escalation, resulting in Operation Hypagon, a neighbourhood policing team-led operation to enforce, prevent, and safeguard.
An initial arrest strategy resulted in eight arrests from four incidents related to threats to kill, possession with intent to supply drugs, and possession of weapons. The team established that all involved had affiliations with one of two local gangs and these incidents were because of an ongoing drugs feud. Thirty people were identified – adults and children – as the focus for the operation.
A professionals' mapping meeting with several agencies including youth services, children’s services, the local health board, and Action for Children, allowed intelligence to be shared and the group to identify the most appropriate agency to address each issue.
This operation has resulted in multiple families being safeguarded and no further issues involving the two groups. Mapping meetings now take place regularly across the Cardiff and Vale area following this operation.
Operation Murray
The Cae Fardre social housing estate had issues with drugs, anti-social behaviour and crime, and was on the brink of becoming a no-go zone for police and other agencies after a lack of consistent and regular partnership working had provided an opportunity for offenders to take control.
The response, Op Murray, used the Clear Hold Build framework with a focus on long-term sustainable solutions. It involved three phases of activity to disrupt organised crime groups, build resilience locally, and improve community safety and confidence. For Cae Fardre, activity included improving the design of estate, greater surveillance, and increased visibility and engagement by police and partners such as housing.
Anti-social behaviour has reduced by 63% from 2022 to 2023, and crimes such as burglary, theft and damage, has dropped by 20%. Additionally, the local councillor has said that residents have approached him and stated that “it feels like a different place”.
The implementation of Clear Hold Build framework on the Cae Fardre social housing estate has received recognition nationally.
A huge thank you must go to our very generous sponsors, without whom our annual awards would not be possible.
Many of the sponsors have supported us for a number of years, for which we are extremely grateful.
Here's just a little more about who they are:
Police and Crime Commissioners were introduced in 2012 to be the elected voice of the people, ensuring the delivery of efficient and effective policing. South Wales Police and Crime Commissioner, Emma Wools, was elected in May 2024.
Dolmans Solicitors conduct their specialist work with local authorities, public bodies and prominent insurers from their base in Cardiff and have a reputation in the business world for their commercial vision and pragmatic approach to the delivery of legal services.
The Police Federation of England and Wales (PFEW) is the staff association representing more than 130,000 rank-and-file officers.
Each branch acts as the negotiation and consultative body providing an effective link between officers and senior management.
Serco is a UK company. They are a valued and trusted partner of governments, delivering superb public services that transform outcomes and create a positive impact for our communities.
They run over 500 contracts, in over 20 countries and employ over 50,000 people.
Willmott Dixon is a privately-owned contracting and interior fit-out group.
Founded in 1852, they are family run and dedicated to delivering brilliant buildings, transforming lives, strengthening communities and enhancing the environment so our world is fit for future generations.
NicheRMS software enables global law enforcement agencies to report, prevent and solve crime. Their staff has a combined 400+ years of policing experience.
The Office of the High Sheriff is an independent, non-political Royal appointment for a single year. There is a High Sheriff in every county in England and Wales and their duties include supporting the Crown, His Majesty’s High Court Judges and crime prevention agencies such as the police.