Nottinghamshire police officers honoured for compassion and professionalism

Two Nottinghamshire police officers have been honoured for their compassion and professionalism.
PCs James McQuaid and Simon Williams with Chief Superintendent Mark Holland.PCs James McQuaid and Simon Williams with Chief Superintendent Mark Holland.
PCs James McQuaid and Simon Williams with Chief Superintendent Mark Holland.

PC James McQuaid and PC Simon Williams were the first on the scene of a report of an assault against a vulnerable female.

She had been attacked by her drug and alcohol-fuelled partner earlier in the evening but he returned to her home later that night, forced his way in and then stabbed her at least 14 times with a hunting knife. He then fled the address.

The officers gave first aid to the victim, reassuring her until the arrival of emergency services. They gained valuable evidence and recorded compelling first disclosures from the victim, which would assist with the prosecution of the offender, while continuing to act compassionately and sensitively towards the victim.

The offender was subsequently traced and arrested.

A detailed investigation followed, ran by another commended and dedicated officer who also liaised with and gave support to the victim and her family.

Due to the quality of the evidence against the offender he pleaded guilty to causing grievous bodily harm with intent and was given a 10-year prison term plus four years on licence.

PCs McQuaid and Williams were honoured at a ceremony held at Mansfield Town Football Club on May 10.

It’s not too late to apply to become a Police Constable with Nottinghamshire Police.

The deadline for applications is midnight on Friday (26 May 2017).

The force wants to recruit talented people with a diverse range of skills and experience who are committed to making a difference to the communities that it serves.

From being the first person to respond to an incident to providing a reassuring visible presence in local communities; from supporting victims and witnesses to protecting people from violence; from investigating crime to supporting other officers in crowd control; from building relationships to arresting offenders, no two days are ever the same.

Nottinghamshire's Chief Constable Craig Guildford said: "We have budgeted for 84 new police officers however we will be looking to increase that in the future.

"I want Nottinghamshire Police to be an employer of choice – I want to retain good people and attract new talent into the organisation.

"I very much want to ensure that this aspect of our organisational and operational effectiveness is promoted in a way which sees local jobs for local people and makes us better at both what we do and how we do it.

"I also want to make sure we are more representative of the communities we serve in 2017 and beyond.

"Recruiting from the widest pool of people will mean we recruit individuals who can speak other languages, understand other cultures and lifestyles and are willing to use those skills to the benefit of the community and the organisation.

"A more diverse workforce will build trust and confidence across communities, leading to sharing of information and closer working."

Police and Crime Commissioner Paddy Tipping said: "This recruitment drive is good news for the public and good news for Nottinghamshire Police.

"These new recruits will mean that there are more officers around to help keep our communities safe. They will mean that there are more officers on the beat and in our neighbourhoods, there will be more people to tackle crimes such as domestic abuse and serious sexual assault and more people available to focus on the challenges posed by those committing crime on-line.

"This recruitment drive also offers us an opportunity to increase the diversity across the police workforce.

"It’s really important in order to maintain public trust and confidence that the Force reflects the community it serves and I know that Nottinghamshire Police has made real, tangible efforts and progress in recent years, reaching out to those communities which are currently under-represented within the Force.

"But we need to do more and I’m pleased to see the Force renewing those efforts during this recruitment process."