Devon & Cornwall Police News site

Over 40 colleagues from Devon & Cornwall Police and eight residents have been commended for their extraordinary efforts and bravery in keeping their local communities safe in Plymouth. 

Forty-two police officers, two members of police staff, eight members of the public and a charity have all been honoured for their work in helping to save lives, protect communities and safeguard vulnerable people.

At a special event held in the city, stories were shared about individuals who risked their lives to keep others safe; including those for meticulously carrying out extensive and complex investigations leading to successful convictions, and others who provided crucial lifesaving first aid in challenging circumstances.

Chief Superintendent Scott Bradley, who currently heads up the policing teams in Plymouth, said: “Listening to the accounts shared during the awards ceremony is truly uplifting; it showcases the unwavering commitment of our police officers and staff, as well as remarkable bravery and selflessness of community members who acted swiftly to help others.

“Every day, our officers engage in challenging situations, provide support to victims and connect with local residents - all while targeting criminals and placing themselves in potentially dangerous situations. Additionally, our staff work tirelessly behind the scenes, in often unseen roles, providing vital support and allowing the front line of policing to keep functioning. I take pride in hearing about the determination, dedication, commitment, and professionalism displayed throughout each of these accounts.

“I’d like to extend my appreciation to everyone who has gone above and beyond in their duties to serve our community, as well as to local residents for their bravery in stepping forward to help those in need.”

The awards ceremony took place on 13 November, hosted by Ch.Supt Bradley.

A selection of some of those who received awards include:

PC Martha Harvey and PC Nicole Large

PC Martha Harvey and PC Nicole Large received recognition for their outstanding commitment and dedication to safeguard a member of public during a high-risk situation. Following an emergency call, the officers were confronted on the scene with a man standing precariously on the wrong side of a bridge overlooking a busy road. The heavy rain added to the challenging situation.

Despite the man’s intention to jump, the officers’ unwavering aim was to get the man to safety so he could get the support he needed. With much negotiation, persuasion, empathy and dedication, they encouraged the man to move to safety. It was due to their show of empathy and excellent negotiation skills that resulted in the man’s change of mind.

The man was given help and support from partner agencies following the incident.

Member of the public, Jamie Redding

Local resident Jamie Redding, aged seventeen, received a police award for showing courage after intervening in an incident involving a man behaving inappropriately towards a young boy in a public toilet.

Jamie immediately alerted security staff, resulting in the arrest of the man. Jamie has been recognised for acting selflessly in a difficult situation to protect a young boy. He has been commended for his exceptional display of bravery and selflessness.

PC Martin Eastwood, PC Alan Henbest, PC Grace Hillier, PC Daniel Sims PC Isobel Stacey and members of the public Melody Daymond, Elaine Field, Chloe Franklin, Nicole Grech-Cini

A group of officers and members of the public have been commended for showing resilience and bravery during a serious road traffic collision, where a rider had fallen off their motorcycle resulting in serious injuries.

Members of the public Nicole Grech-Cini, Melody Daymond and another lady witnessed the initial incident and ran to the rider to provide lifesaving first aid until emergency services arrived.

Officers quickly supported with first aid when they arrived on scene. Off duty nurses, Chloe Franklin and her colleague, who were passers-by also stepped in to support officers with emergency care.

Thanks to the bravery and quick action from members of the public along with the police officers on scene, the rider’s life was saved and he made a full recovery.

PC Chloe Blackmore, PC Kirstin Clark, PC Dan Hickey, PC Stuart Mackender, SC Herbie Owen, Police Staff Mal Riggs and PC Emily Smith  

A number of police officers and a member of the public have been recognised for their actions during a challenging situation at a local pub. Bar staff had called the police to report a woman who had entered the venue covered in white powder in clear distress, stating that it was burning her. The substance was later found to be sodium hydroxide.

When arriving on scene, officers quickly identified the issue and began working quickly and safely to reduce the woman’s pain. She was taken to hospital by ambulance and treated for mild burns - she made a full recovery. The officers were recognised for their professionalism and bravery during the incident, stepping up to help the woman without knowing what the substance could be or if it could cause harm them.

PC Elizabeth Rowe

PC Rowe has been awarded for her prompt actions in a challenging situation, which ultimately led to her saving a lady’s life. While on patrol along the Royal Parade, PC Elizabeth Rowe and a colleague were flagged down by a member of the public who alerted them to a lady who had collapsed on the pavement, unresponsive and not breathing.

PC Rowe took quick and decisive action to administer life-saving CPR, which resulted in the lady starting to breathe again unassisted. An ambulance then arrived to provide emergency care and the lady made a full recovery. PC Rowe was recognised for her commitment to keeping the public safe.

DCI Steve Fleetwood

DCI Steve Fleetwood led Operation Medusa, which is a joint operation between Devon & Cornwall Police and Merseyside Police to target county lines.

The activity resulted in the dismantling of a County Lines operation within the city, which led to the arrest of 42 suspects. Ten weapons were recovered along with the seizure of drugs with an estimated street value of £35,000. In addition, £9,500 in cash, eleven vehicles and two Rolex watches were also recovered.

To safeguard vulnerable children who were deemed at risk of exploitation by County Lines, fourteen ‘Safe and Well’ checks were conducted along with ten contact visits by the Child Centred Policing Team. Police also carried out presentations to key partner agencies around county lines and as a result more than three hundred intelligence submissions were made about suspected drug offences and dealers.

DCI Fleetwood has been commended for his planning and preparation, which directly contributed to the safe running of this complex operation. Feedback was also received by visiting officers, who said that this was the best deployment they had experienced by a host force.

PC Michelle Evans

PC Michelle Evans has been commended for her exemplary leadership and dedication for her work around the use of e-cigarettes with young people under the age of 18. She identified a gap in the legislation, which meant police were not able to seize e-cigarettes from children. PC Evans launched a project to change this – working closely with key stakeholders, the legal department and partner agencies to update the legislation.

Down to her dedication and motivation, a new seizure policy was implemented across Devon and Cornwall, giving police powers to seize e-cigarettes from under 18s. Her work has undoubtedly safeguarded many children in Plymouth.

DI Ben Ferguson

Ben Ferguson has been commended for his exceptional leadership to coordinate the response to an assault on a man. Ben Ferguson, who was a detective constable at the time, was called to an incident where the man had attempted to calm down an argument in a pub, which resulted in an unprovoked attack on him by two men. The two men subsequently fled the scene.

On arrival, Ferguson made the decision to transport the victim to the hospital in a police vehicle so the man could access the emergency help he needed as soon as possible. 

He has been recognised for his professionalism, leadership and coordination of the response to the incident. His hard work resulted in the arrest of the two suspects and following a thorough investigation, both male suspects were convicted. The primary assailant was sentenced to over 20 years imprisonment.

PC Megan Edwards

PC Edwards has been commended for her involvement in safeguarding a vulnerable victim, putting her own safety at risk. PC Megan Edwards and a colleague were called to a report of a man banging loudly at the door of his ex-partner’s property, attempting to get inside. The man was in breach of the Domestic Violence Protection Order, which ordered him not to contact or be near the individual.

When officers arrived on scene, the man resisted arrest and assaulted both officers. PC Edwards hit her head during the struggle and the man attempted to strangle her. He then broke free. The officers quickly apprehended the man and arrested him, regaining control of the suspect. PC Megan Edwards has been recognised for her bravery and resilience in this difficult situation.

PC Libby Fuge-Brown, PC Chloe Henderson, PC Arkadiusz Soltysiak

PC Libby Fuge-Brown, PC Chloe Henderson, PC Arkadiusz Soltysiak and another officer have been recognised for their determination and selflessness during an emergency call to a property where a 16-year-old had been threatening others with broken glass. 

When officers arrived on scene, the suspect jumped from a first-floor window and fled. Despite the risks to their personal safety, they pursued him on foot and located him in a nearby garden. It quickly became clear that the suspect had sustained life threatening injuries as a result of jumping out of the window.

There was a clear threat to his life, so the officers immediately commenced life-saving first aid. The officers who attended this incident have been commended for their bravery and commitment to saving the man’s life.

PC Sabrina Turner 

PC Sabrina Turner has been commended for the professionalism and resilience she displayed throughout a challenging case to safeguard a vulnerable victim.

PC Turner was the investigator in a high-risk domestic abuse case. A vulnerable victim called the police to report several domestic abuse offences. The victim had never given evidence or supported police action against the suspect before. PC Turner progressed the case and due to her compassion and resilience, the victim found the strength to provide an evidential account.

Down to her excellent standards of investigation and collaborative work with partner agencies, it meant the suspect pled guilty at court. This resulted in a five-year prison sentence and a ten-year restraining order, protecting the victim from further harm.

DC Alicia Smith, DS Hannah Spencer

DC Alicia Smith and DS Hannah Spencer have been commended for their dedication and resilience to an investigation into allegations of child sexual abuse by a local doctor in the Plymouth area. Following his arrest, the officers worked tirelessly to assess a large quantity of child sexual abuse material located on devices. As a result, a young victim was identified as being sexually assaulted by him. This was a complex case as the offender was in a position of trust within the community.

Officers involved in the case committed countless hours to the investigation, resulting in the parents commenting on how well the officers supported them. The Crown Prosecution Service commended the high level of commitment from both DC Smith and SD Spencer which helped secure an 8.5 year custodial sentence and a lifetime Sexual Harm Prevention Order.     

We would like to commend DC Alicia Smith and DS Hannah Spencer for their dedication and resilience to this case.

Sarah Dundon

Sarah Dundon is an antisocial behaviour (ASB) case worker for Devon & Cornwall Police. Her work is critical in helping to safeguard the wellbeing of communities that are negatively impacted by ASB. Sarah has been recognised for her dedication to securing positive results, including numerous full closure orders on properties and vacating a number of problematic addresses with prolific offenders in East Cornwall.

Sarah’s tenacity to pursue repeat offenders with vigour has resulted in improving the safety of our communities and its residents. She displays a clear passion for helping others.

DCI Supt Steve Fleetwood

In July 2022, the police received a report of a women who had been raped by someone who was not known to her, leaving her with lifelong injuries.

DCI Steve Fleetwood launched the investigation. Down to the dedication of the team during this investigation, the suspect was identified, charged and remanded. During the trial, the suspect was found guilty of multiple offences including rape, actual bodily harm, and strangulation. He was sentenced to 14 years imprisonment.

The level of effort, quality of evidence and care throughout the investigation led to the victim asking if she could read her impact statement at sentencing. DCI Steve Fleetwood has been commended for his efforts throughout the investigation.

The Rapid Relief Team

The Rapid Relief Team are a non-profit charitable organisation made up of dedicated people who volunteer their time to provide catering support to emergency workers during critical incidents and missing person searches.

Over the last year volunteers have supported Devon & Cornwall Police on many occasions, providing refreshments to officers to keep them going while working extended hours under challenging circumstances. We’d like to commend the Rapid Relief Team for their selflessness and dedication to support emergency service workers in times of need.

Chief Inspector Fergus Paterson

Chief Inspector Fergus Paterson supported the implementation of the Right Care Right Person (RCRP) project at Devon & Cornwall Police. RCRP is an approach to making sure people who have health and/or social care needs get help from the right services, such as police or ambulance.

Throughout this project, he was a constant reassuring presence, effectively communicating his extensive knowledge and reinforced existing relationships with external agencies. This supported the overall aim of working together to help vulnerable people.

Chief Inspector Paterson played a central part in bringing the project team together, informed training content and delivery, briefed staff and provided visible leadership. The early and ongoing success of the project is a testament to his work. He has been commended for his leadership and dedication.

PC Karen Stephens, PC Michelle Evans, PS Esther Tucker, PC Sarah Goudie, PC James Parker, PC Danielle Anbany

The Child Centred Policing Team have been recognised for their ongoing commitment to achieve the best outcomes for young people in Plymouth. Their work has been recognised as best practice both force wide and nationally. Without exception, each member of the team exceed the expectations of their roles and go over and above for young people in the city. This is a testament to their passion and commitment to keeping young people safe.

PC Kye Bradley, Insp Graham Little, Janet Newcombe, PC Rich Steer-Frost

Police officers and staff have been recognised for their commitment and professionalism during a seven-day closure of Crownhill Police Station for essential electrical repairs. The team pulled together to ensure this was a success so that all departments were able to operate business as usual, working extended hours and dealing with complex issues.