Student Officer of the Year Award 2007
Sponsored by The John Grieve Centre
Name: PC Tom Gent
Force: Avon and Somerset Constabulary
Service: 17 months
Career Highlights: PC Gent beat around 600 more experienced officers to receive a commendation as the best performing officer in the Bristol district for February. His commendation said he has been 'highlighted as having submitted crime investigations of a noticeably high standard, resulting in quality investigations and victim care'. PC Gent also arrested a man who posed a threat to himself and police officers and defended children at a domestic disturbance by challenging a man with a knife.
What others say: PC Gent's sergeant says: 'I am extremely happy and impressed with the progress of PC Gent's development. He is displaying maturity beyond his years and a level of knowledge and understanding of police work beyond his level of service.'
Name: PC Andrea Price
Force: Cheshire Constabulary
Service: Two and a half years
Career Highlights: PC Price took responsibility for one of Ellesmere Ports most challenging wards, Stanlow and Wolverham. She reinvigorated the safer communities project that had become fragmented and she has regularly changed shifts to respond to the needs of the community. This has involved the execution of a series of drugs and stolen property warrants and addressing anti-social behaviour including the use of off-road motorbikes. She has also dealt with victims of racially aggravated offences sensitively and in accordance with policy.
What others say: Christine Barton, the force's director of HR, says: 'PC Price is a driven, motivated and enthusiastic officer. She has a determination to succeed and a confident, focused approach to all tasks.'
Name: PC Peter O'Doherty
Force: City of London Police
Service: Two years
Career Highlights: : PC O'Doherty has averaged 12 to 15 arrests per month, leading to other officers asking for his assistance. But he does not stop working at the end of the shift - while off-duty he stepped into a large-scale fight in Bromley where two women were being kicked repeatedly. He pulled the two women to safety and protected them until Met officers arrived to assist. Also while off-duty, PC O'Doherty stepped in when a drunken man almost fell underneath a train. The man pushed PC O'Doherty to the ground but he managed to arrest and detain the man until help arrived.
What others say: 'PC Hubbard's ability to quickly take on board a problem and decide how to tackle it is one of his greatest strengths,' says a spokesman for the force.
Name: PC Lewis Powell
Force: Cumbria Constabulary
Service: Two years
Career Highlights: After dealing with an incident where a woman was shot in the arm with an air rifle, PC Powell conducted extensive enquiries to obtain intelligence and offer public reassurance. He arranged for a press release highlighting the danger of air rifles and later persuaded the parents of a 12-year-old boy to hand over an air rifle to be destroyed. PC Powell was the first on the scene of a fatal road traffic collision which involved a young man who was trapped under a motor vehicle. He gave first aid and secured the scene and also spoke to the parents of the man who was trapped.
What others say: Christine Twigg, deputy chief constable of the force, says: 'PC Powell commits himself to and engages with communities and has worked to build up trust, improve confidence and break down barriers between the police and public.'
Name: PC Christopher Buckland
Force: Derbyshire Constabulary
Service: 20 months
Career Highlights: After seeing a prolific offender, PC Buckland stopped him and later searched him for drugs, finding a quantity of heroin. Although the Crown Prosecution Service did not want to charge the man with possession with intent to supply PC Buckland contested this and the charge was amended. Another highlight for PC Buckland was helping a woman who had locked herself inside her house and made threats to harm herself. Officers forced entry into the premises and took her to the mental health services for assessment. PC Buckland convinced her to open up to officers and health professionals about her problems.
What others say: His force says: 'PC Buckland has been involved in some excellent arrests and investigations.'
Name: PC Thomas Canning
Force: Devon and Cornwall Constabulary
Service: 21 months
Career Highlights: In only 37 weeks on the street, PC Canning made 58 arrests for a variety of offences including theft, assault, criminal damage and aggravated burglary. In April last year he was tasked with urgent enquiries from the Crown Prosecution Service. The task was over and above what would have been expected of a student officer but it led to the man being charged. PC Canning showed his professionalism again when dealing with a case where a child received facial injuries when bitten by a dog. The CPS advised they would not support prosecution but PC Canning served a warning letter on the owner of the dog and offered the family victim support.
What others say: His force says: 'PC Canning is a competent and professional police officer who sets himself very high standards.'
Name: PC Samantha Hillier
Force: Dorset Police
Service: Two years
Career Highlights: In May, PC Hillier was one of two officers who attended a suspicious incident where a man's body was found. PC Hillier co-ordinated the securing of the scene, the commencement of incident logs and the arrival and deployment of further officers. In March last year, PC Hillier dealt with an alleged theft of a credit card from staff at a local store. She seized CCTV evidence which led to the offender being arrested. 'PC Hillier also helped an elderly man who went missing from a rest home. She found him at his home address, where he had locked himself in. She managed to enter his home and returned the man to the rest home.
What others say: Her force says: 'PC Hillier is focused on the needs of her community and is able to present a positive image to the public and outside organisations.'
Name: PC Chris Nelmes
Force: Gloucestershire Constabulary
Service: Two years
Career Highlights: In his first arrest out of tutorship, PC Nelmes investigated an accident where the driver had failed to stop. He located where the car was parked and identified the owner's house. Due to the damage to the car, PC Nelmes was concerned for the welfare of the driver and a forced entry to the driver's house was made. Following a search of the house, the driver of the car was arrested and subsequently convicted of failing to stop at the scene of an accident. He also investigated a case of child cruelty. A witness pointed out the offender and PC Nelmes arrested the woman. The mother was convicted of child cruelty and the child was taken into care.
What others say: His force says: 'PC Nelmes is an enthusiastic and committed officer who uses common-sense.'
Name: PC David Fenton
Force: Greater Manchester Police
Service: 17 months
Career Highlights: In four months on independent patrol PC Fenton has so far dealt with 39 crimes, 10 arrests, 10 sanction detections, five summons and 58 intelligence inputs. In March this year PC Fenton responded to intelligence of drug activity at a local address by applying for a warrant under the Misuse of Drugs Act 1971. He organised an operational order in respect of the warrant. Drugs were found, a person was arrested and charged with drugs offences. The family have also been issued with an eviction notice.
What others say: Andrew Marston, assistant chief officer of HR at the force, says: 'He makes a valuable contribution to the policing of the neighbourhood area of North Manchester and has received excellent feedback from his supervision in relation to his outstanding performance.'
Name: PC Nathan Sparkes
Force: Gwent Police
Service: 14 months
Career Highlights: PC Sparkes became aware that two young people who had befriended an elderly lady in the community were intimidating her and had stolen her credit card. One of the youths was charged with theft and PC Sparkes also took part in a multi-agency meeting to ensure the welfare of the lady. He has also dealt with an incident of fighting. After speaking to one of the men, PC Sparkes realised the man was a victim of a robbery, so he arrested the other two and made sure the clothes of everyone involved were seized for forensic examination.
What others say: William Horne, assistant chief constable of the force, says: 'PC Sparkes has, in his short time as a police officer, demonstrated determination, drive and a natural inclination for investigation.'
Name: PC Kelly Chidgey
Force: Hampshire Constabulary
Service: 21 months
Career Highlights: : PC Chidgey has resuscitated people on two separate occasions, enabling the ambulance service to give them first aid on the scene. In one instance, she helped a woman who had suffered an epileptic seizure and stopped breathing. She had to persuade the woman's partner to allow her near the woman to help. She also resuscitated a man who had suffered an asthma attack. She also worked on a 'card skimming' investigation which led to her collating more than 500 deception reports. Five suspects were detained as a result.
What others say: Her force says: 'Since PC Chidgey's appointment she has consistently displayed an exceptionally high standard of professionalism and in a manner far beyond her length of service.'
Name: PC Dan Osborne
Force: Hertfordshire Constabulary
Service: 17 months
Career Highlights: When investigating a burglary, PC Osborne found a large sum of an unusual currency had been stolen. He contacted banks within the Berkhamsted area and identified a known criminal who had just changed such a currency, and this led to his arrest. In another incident he stopped a man who was carrying an imitation firearm. PC Osborne quickly took it from him and arrested the man, who was later charged with three offences. He also chased down two suspects who attempted to run away and arrested them for disqualified driving and robbery.
What others say: Garry Barnett, police community volunteer, says: 'PC Osborne amazed me with the caring manner in which he spoke to and dealt with a domestic violence victim while taking her statement.'
Name: PC Henry Henderson
Force: Leicestershire Constabulary
Service: Two years
Career Highlights: PC Henderson is the first to volunteer for work beyond his normal duties, his force says. In September, at the end of his shift, PC Henderson volunteered to assist the neighbourhood action team in executing a warrant at a prolific offender's address. He played a major part in the implementation of a CCTV investigation package for the force to improve the level of investigations. When he arrived at a park where 300 youths were gathered, PC Henderson witnessed an assault. Despite being outnumbered, PC Henderson arrested the offender and got medical attention for the victim.
What others say: Ch Supt Geoff Feavyour of the force says: 'He has completed work in specialist areas of a quality to be expected of far more experienced and trained specialist officers.'
Name: PC Dave Benson
Force: Lancashire Constabulary
Service: Two years
Career Highlights: Since his appointment, PC Benson has made 117 arrests for offences including burglary, affray and drug supply. He has attended 750 incidents, submitted 96 intelligence entries and 129 crime reports. Due to his skills, he has been used to supervise other student officers on their first day of practical policing even though he was still a student officer. When PC Benson attended a call about a suicidal woman, he found her in a car park cutting her wrists. He tackled her and took her back to hospital.
What others say: His force says: 'PC Benson is an extremely professional officer who is always polite, tolerant and patient when dealing with individuals, treating them with respect and dignity and presenting a highly professional and ethical image.'
Name: PC Nigel Smith
Force: Lincolnshire Police
Service: 18 months
Career Highlights: One incident, which PC Smith's force says shows his high level of maturity, followed a report that a man had fallen into a river. PC Smith realised the man had been pushed into the water after allegedly being assaulted by the informant and two others, and quickly preserved the crime scene. He then arrested two suspects for murder. The man's body was recovered and two juveniles were charged with murder. Without PC Smith's actions, vital evidence may have been lost, his sergeant says.
What others say: 'PC Smith's work is of an exceptionally high standard and his level of knowledge is far beyond that expected of an officer in his stage of training,' says Peter Davies, an assistant chief constable with the force.
Name: PC Paul Clarke
Force: Merseyside Police
Service: 13 months
Career Highlights: PC Clarke has used football to combat an ongoing problem of youth disorder in one area - getting young people involved in a local football team and keeping them out of trouble. His relationship with them has also proved invaluable for intelligence purposes. PC Clarke always offers to get involved in anything going on, his force says, including being part of search teams for an operation to reduce the supply of Class A drugs at street level. He has also carried out 30 arrests and helped colleagues with numerous other offences.
What others say: 'His willingness to learn has been over and above any student officer I have worked with in the previous 10 years,' his force says.
Name: PC Katie Morgan
Force: Norfolk Constabulary
Service: Two years
Career Highlights: PC Morgan seems to have an ability for problem solving, her force says. In one incident, she remained unfazed by a violent man and was able to calm down his girlfriend from an agitated state and gain her co-operation. She also completed a demanding tutor's course prior to the end of her own probation and started tutoring a new student officer.
What others say: 'One of PC Morgan's strengths is her innate ability to communicate to members of the public under difficult circumstances,' her force says.
Name: PC Matthew Baker
Force: Northamptonshire Police
Service: Three years
Career Highlights: PC Baker is regularly the area's highest performing officer from month to month, his force says. He has dealt with a series of racist incidents against a local shopkeeper, and a rape where there was no chaperone available and he had to perform aspects of that role alone. PC Baker also received a commendation for his dealings with a suicidal man.
What others say: 'Whatever job he does and whatever is demanded of him, PC Baker can always be relied on to give his all,' according to his force.
Name: PC Catherine Peet
Force: North Yorkshire Police
Service: Nine months
Career Highlights: The former community support officer is described by her force as a natural investigator with a knack for presenting high quality files to the Crown Prosecution Service. In one case, PC Peet was faced with a file for multiple offences and defendants. Her tutor said she performs as well as a seasoned detective and was astonished she picked everything up so quickly. Incidents she has dealt with range from a difficult individual suffering from mental health problems, to domestic violence incidents and dealing with the aftermath of a fatal road accident.
What others say: A force spokesman says she is 'without question one of the most hard working and conscientious officers and is a role model for other student officers to aspire to'.
Name: PC Martin Giddy
Force: Nottinghamshire Police
Service: 26 months
Career Highlights: When PC Giddy moved from one division to another, he was mistaken for a transferee rather than a student officer because of his high level of professionalism. On arriving at the division, he asked to spend time tracking down wanted criminals, and managed to evaluate each situation, work out the best way to gather intelligence and overcome any obstacles in each case - exceeding his supervisors' expectations. During the course of his enquiries, he used stop and search powers on a man acting suspiciously and found he had a sawn off shot gun and 36 live rounds in his bag.
What others say: 'PC Giddy is a highly motivated, proactive, determined and positive probationer who has excelled in his role,' according to his force.
Name: Constable Colin McMullan
Force: Police Service of Northern Ireland
Service: Three years
Career Highlights: Constable McMullan works in one of the toughest areas of Londonderry, according to his force. To tackle a serious anti-social behaviour problem, he started a joint initiative with the Northern Ireland Housing Executive. No anti-social behaviour orders had ever been taken out in the city, so Constable McMullan researched legislation, briefed the magistrate and police barristers and three ASBOs were granted. The force says Constable McMullan's reputation among the local community is very high.
What others say: 'Constable McMullan's style of honest hard work, integrity and creativity has had a major impact in the community and is proof that one person's input can make a difference,' says his force.
Name: PC Russell Hughes
Force: South Yorkshire Police
Service: 14 Months
Career Highlights: An entire unit in which PC Hughes worked was singled out for praise, largely because of the extremely hard work he had been putting in, according to his force. This included compiling a missing person report, carrying out prisoner processing and a long period of working at an airport in very unsociable hours. PC Hughes dealt so well with a sudden death incident, that the coroner's office wrote to the force to praise him for the quality of his submitted report. Not realising he was still a student officer, the coroner even suggested PC Hughes be used to advise officers who needed help in dealing with any future incidents of sudden death.
What others say: 'PC Hughes has excelled in the eyes of his peers from the beginning of his career,' his force says.
Name: PC Richard Taylor
Force: South Wales Police
Service: 22 months
Career Highlights: PC Taylor's skills were particularly tested when he had to interview a retired police sergeant who had been detained. The arrest was witnessed by the former officer's son who later wrote a letter of appreciation for PC Taylor's sensitive handling of the situation. In submitting large numbers of intelligence forms, PC Taylor has assisted in many operations. In one, information he gathered was used by the divisional drugs team, resulting in a successful raid on a cannabis plantation.
What others say: 'PC Taylor is a dedicated individual who takes a great deal of pride in his work. He is a team player and is aware of the bigger picture', says Ch Insp Keith Jones, the force's training manager.
Name: PC Thomas Fotherby
Force: Staffordshire Police
Service: 17 months
Career Highlights: After four weeks with the incident management unit, PC Fotherby made 14 arrests and identified the right procedures for requesting a search of the detainees' premises. PC Fotherby was commended for for the information he supplied about the offenders in a rape, sexual assault, assault and criminal damage invstigation. He also showed persistence and diligence during a drugs search, in which he found some cannabis which had previously been missed during the search.
What others say: 'PC Fotherby consistently demonstrates professionalism and an eagerness to learn in a manner well in advance of his years,' says David Swift, the force's chief constable.
Name: PC Melanie Havelock-Brown
Force: Surrey Police
Service: 11 months
Career Highlights: PC Havelock-Brown made a Name for herself at training school - being a source of support for all 45 officers on the course, her force says. She has an impressive arrest and detection rate with arrests for robbery, possession of offensive weapons, drink/driving and assault. She also dealt with a drunk woman who said she had had sex which became non-consensual. PC Havelock-Brown controlled the incident, arrested a suspect, arranged scene preservation and dealt with the victim and her mother during the process.
What others say: 'PC Havelock-Brown shows enthusiasm for the role. She is always the first at work and approaches all policing tasks with gusto and a willingness to learn,' says a force spokesman.
Name: PC Andrew Ginns
Force: Warwickshire Police
Service: Two years
Career Highlights: PC Ginns has successfully investigated many complex offences, including a report of a high-value fraud. He was the first officer on the scene of a murder and displayed authority beyond his years, his force says. His efforts, including paying attention to forensic cross-contamination issues aided the prosecution of the offender and drew praise from the senior investigating officers and Crown Prosecution Service. PC Ginns also helped to prevent a potentially lethal robbery and restrained a man who was in each reach of weapons.
What others say: A spokesman for the force says: 'PC Ginns has made an excellent contribution to policing. His enthusiasm is second to none and he has quickly established himself as a mature and professional officer.'
Name: PC Vicky Cocliff
Force: West Yorkshire Police
Service: 23 months
Career Highlights: PC Cocliff was a member of a team tasked with dealing with anti-social behaviour problems at Wakefield bus station. She tackled the issue by liaising with bus station staff and the force's anti-social behaviour order team. Thanks to PC Cocliff's efforts, Wakefield was voted England's safest bus station in a recent poll. Her other work in the city has included preventing a racial abuse situation which had the potential to turn violent. It is also not unusual for PC Cocliff to have a number of prisoners detained in the cells and still go back out to make further arrests, her force says.
What others say: 'PC Cocliff has an infectious enthusiasm for the job which has been commented on by all ranks', says a spokesman for the force.
Name: PC David Williams
Force: Thames Valley Police
Service: 18 months
Career Highlights: PC Williams has been praised for his investigative abilities and his quality of file preparation and crime management, according to his force. In one case, he attended an alleged rape and was able to identify a scene as well as crucial evidence. PC Williams also dealt with a case of domestic violence. The victim felt let down by her liasion with the force and it was only when he became involved, her confidence returned and she said his support helped her to provide evidence and secure a conviction. His 'offenders brought to justice' rate is one of the highest in his basic command unit.
What others say: 'PC Williams rarely needs input from his supervisors and has an ability to evaluate a situation and provide the best solution to a problem,' says his force.
Name: PC Dominic McGrath
Force: West Midlands Police
Service: 19 months
Career Highlights: PC McGrath has a fantastic approach to dealing with vulnerable people, according to his force. In one case, a man with mental health concerns had been preyed on by his drug addict daughter who had moved into his house and was stealing his money. PC McGrath established a rapport with the victim to help gain evidence, and eventually obtained a full admission from the daughter. He has also been involved in the arrest of violent offenders in Birmingham city centre. In one incident he captured a violent offender who had committed a serious knife attack. He then worked several hours beyond duty to ensure all evidence had been obtained.
What others say: 'It is clear to all who work with PC McGrath that he truly 'polices from the heart'. This is more than just a job for him,' says his force.