Devon & Cornwall Police News site

Dedicated police officers, staff and volunteers from across North and West Devon gathered together recently at an awards ceremony.

The special event was to mark the fantastic achievements of those who go above and beyond in the line of duty. Those guests attending included senior police officers, as well as the family and friends of recipients.

PC Erin Rostock, based at Barnstaple Police Station, was a double winner on the night after being awarded two Superintendent’s Certificates by North and West Local Policing Area Supt Toby Davies. The constable was praised for her work to help a high-risk domestic abuse victim and her tenacity, which ensured the offender was convicted. Erin worked tirelessly to obtain evidence and have the suspect remanded; she also built an excellent working relationship with prison staff.

The officer joined the Devon & Cornwall Police domestic abuse team in April 2023 and has displayed ability and empathy beyond her limited police service. She has completed numerous difficult investigations, resulting in the convictions of violent offenders and helping to keep victims safe. PC Rostock is considered to be an exceptional young officer who is dedicated and passionate about her role; she has a very bright future.    

PC Craig James (see below for his second award) and Domestic Abuse Officer Sarah Connar received Supt’s Certificates for working tirelessly on investigations and supporting vulnerable victims. They worked together well to make sure engagement with victims was maintained and giving them regular updates, as well as making sure the victims were listened to.

Sergeant Nick Blyth has received a Supt’s Certificate for demonstrating exceptional leadership and taking a dedicated approach to improving Crime Data Integrity compliance. Nick delivered training to colleagues to ensure high quality standards were maintained. His work significantly enhanced performance, which ultimately helps victims of crime.

PC Rhys Phillips helped a schoolgirl in crisis who was on the wrong side of the bridge over the M5 motorway. The officer was off duty travelling towards Exeter when he saw the girl in distress. He stopped his car on the hard shoulder and climbed up to help her. Rhys managed to pull the girl to safety and was then supported by other officers who had arrived from Cullompton.

PC Phillips, who works at Barnstaple, is praised for acting selflessly and preventing serious risk of harm to the girl or any motorists nearby. The situation was resolved swiftly and the girl was offered support and help.

An outstanding team of officers who work in the Ilfracombe area received Supt’s Certificates for their work to catch offenders following the shocking theft of war memorial plaques from a monument in the town.

Inspector Rich Preston recognised the sensitivity and potential public outrage of the crime and he went above and beyond to work with his team and recover the stolen items. He contacted all known scrap metal merchants to urge them to be vigilant and this led to a recycling centre contacting the police to report suspicious men trying to sell metal to them.     

The Inspector worked with Sergeant Gareth Woolway, PC Ewan Huggons and PC Craig James, as well as PC Joanna Nancekivell and staff from South West Metals to recover the memorial plaques. They carried out a thorough investigation and sought advice from Historic England, identifying rare legislation which reflected the seriousness of the crime. The team worked long hours and persevered to make sure all offenders were charged and sent to prison. This was exceptional work from all those involved.

A team of three brave officers who saved a person from the fast flowing River Torridge have received a Chief Superintendent’s Commendation from Commander Dan Evans. Police Community Support Officers Liz Rendle and Paul Uden, along with Police Constable Matt South, found a person face down in the cold water and managed to rescue the casualty before carrying out CPR and saving their life. The officers are praised for their selflessness.

The next Chief Supt’s Commendation went to Sergeant Natalie Newson and constables Sara Withecombe, Adam Summers and Rhys Phillips. The officers showed extraordinary bravery and quick thinking decisive actions to prevent a woman from jumping off a bridge in Barnstaple. PC Withecombe was off duty when she spotted the person on the wrong side of the bridge and the compassionate teamwork meant the woman was safely removed from danger.  

Detective Constable Craig Ferguson and PC Helen Winterson received their Chief Supt’s Commendations for a child sexual abuse case, dating back to 1997. Craig and Helen developed a good working relationship over the course of three years. The case was delayed by the Covid pandemic and a second crown court trial but ultimately the offender was convicted. The victim praised the support of the officers and said that the officers had ‘their best interests, welfare and outcomes at the centre of what they were doing’.    

A  team of officers including PC Adam Williams, Detective Sergeant Claire Dando and Sergeant Tim Cramp received Chief Supt’s Commendations for their excellent work to convict an offender following the attempted rape of a woman in Barnstaple. 

This year’s volunteer award was handed to photographers Gordon Dickie and Andy Francis who gave 400 hours of their own time last year as part of the Surfwell programme. As retired police officers they are able to draw on their own experiences and offer wellbeing support to those who come along to the surf sessions. The project was created to provide therapy to those working in the emergency services. 

Photos below show PC Erin Rostock with Supt Toby Davies and PC Rhys Phillips (left) with Adam Summers, Sara Withecombe and Sgt Natalie Newson