BAWP celebrates achievements of women in policing
“I WAS just doing my job.” “I wasn’t doing anything more than my colleagues would do.” “It was just the call I got that day.”
These are some of the reactions from women honoured at the 2015 British Association for Women in Policing awards.
Temporary Chief Constable Dee Collins, BAWP President, said: “I think it’s the most incredible amazing day to celebrate the achievements of all of these women in policing. I was very humbled and inspired by all these women I’ve heard about.”
Temporary Sgt Gemma Currie, of West Midlands Police, won Officer of the Year for her work on a schools mentoring programme in Birmingham. She is pictured with Temporary Chief Constable Dee Collins. Chief Inspector Emma Bond, of the PSNI, was highly commended for reducing crime in a deprived Belfast area. Insp Nicky Cross, of the Met, was highly commended for her work in hostage and crisis negotiation.
PC Debbie Wishart and PC Sam Clark, both of Northamptonshire Police, were joint winners of the bravery award. PC Wishart won for detaining a man threatening her with a kitchen knife, and PC Clark detained a suspect trying to flee across a river. Highly commended for bravery was former PC Zoe Walker, for trying to save the life of a man who had been murdered in front of his son.
PCSO Susan Tomlinson, of West Mercia Police, won the Community Service Award for setting up a scheme for vulnerable young girls in abusive relationships. Highly commended was PCSO Carly Davies, of Warwickshire Police, for setting up an anti-bullying scheme at a local school.
Emma Hughes, a criminal intelligence analyst at the National Crime Agency, was joint winner of the Excellence in Performance Award for her work in the conviction of a drug dealer for conspiracy to supply over £1 million worth of cannabis and a confiscation order against the same offender worth £198 million. She was joined by DCI Rebecca Reeves, of the Met, for her work targeting gangs that use firearms.
Highly commended in the same category were PCSO Paula Perry, of Avon and Somerset Police, and Regulating Petty Officer Cathryn Chambers, of the Royal Navy Police.
PC Francesca Tamblyn, of Dorset Police, was joint winner of the Leadership Award for her leadership in public order. Also winning was DCC Michelle Skeer, of Cumbria Constabulary. Highly commended was DS Hannah Bell, of Durham Constabulary.
DCS Sue Scott, of Avon and Somerset Constabulary, won the Lifetime Achievement Award. Highly commended were retired sergeant Debra Wood, of Sussex Police, and Special Constable Patricia Denholm, of the Met.
Deputy Principal Carol Mounce, of the PSNI, won the Mentoring Award. Training Officer Anne Fellows, of Dorset Police, was highly commended.
Nagina Ali, of Lancashire Police, won the Police Staff Award for her work on honour-based violence and forced marriage. Highly commended was Police Staff Dispatch Operator Lauren Minor, of Avon and Somerset Police; PCSO Ros McInulty, of Lancashire Constabulary; and Jill DiMartino, of the Met.
Supt Penelope Banham, of the Met, won the Special Recognition Award for mentoring women officers and other under-represented groups. Highly commended were Susan Thomson and Wendy Walker, both of Thames Valley Police.
The inaugural Volunteer Award went to Special Inspector Maureen Conwell, of GMP.