Alumni Impact Awards: outstanding leadership on the policing frontline
Friday 6th October 2023
Eight officers have been recognised at Police Now’s national Alumni Impact Awards for their outstanding contributions to frontline policing. From piloting new crime-reduction operations and leading complex investigations to championing diversity and inclusion, they have all made a positive impact in their communities.
The annual Alumni Impact Awards celebrate the achievements of officers across England and Wales who have graduated from Police Now’s two-year programmes and have gone above and beyond to reduce crime, support their communities and build public trust and confidence in policing.
The event was held at Cutler’s Hall in Birmingham on Friday 22nd September and the awards were presented by Police Now’s Chief Executive Officer Kurtis Christoforides and members of the Police Now HQ team.
Winner: Brilliant Investigation
Detective Constable Georgia Waldron, West Midlands Police
Detective Constable Georgia Waldron was the Officer in Charge for a violent stranger rape investigation, which was later covered on BBC’s CSI: The Real Forensics.
Georgia, who joined West Midlands Police in 2021 via Police Now’s National Detective Programme, worked on the complex investigation after a young woman was dragged into a derelict house and subjected to a horrific, hour-long attack.
Georgia delivered exceptional support to the victim and worked with her colleagues to collect and analyse video, audio and forensic evidence. Thanks to their work and support from the incredibly brave victim, the team were able to identify, arrest and interview the suspect. After building a thorough case file, he was subsequently convicted and is now serving life in prison with a minimum of 12 years behind bars.
Click here for more information about Georgia’s investigation.
Runner Up: Brilliant Investigation
Police Constable Jake Farrell, Thames Valley Police
Police Constable Jake Farrell led a successful investigation into the professional, targeted theft of boilers by an Organised Crime Group (OCG) in the South East of England.
Jake joined Thames Valley Police in 2018 via Police Now’s National Graduate Leadership Programme and thanks to his work, a key offender was charged with 89 offences and sentenced to almost six years in prison. As a result, the OCG’s activity has been significantly disrupted and the force has not seen any similar offences across Thames Valley, Hampshire, Surrey and Sussex since.
Jake’s colleagues have commended him for his investigation, and his diligent approach to reviewing over 300 hours of CCTV has transformed the way his team now approach investigations.
Click here for more information about Jake’s investigation.
Winner: Outstanding Leadership
Police Constable Nilufar Ali, West Midlands Police
PC Nilufar Ali demonstrates a clear passion for improving diversity and inclusion within the Birmingham Local Policing Area and takes personal responsibility for driving positive organisational change.
She joined West Midlands Police in 2019 via Police Now’s National Graduate Leadership Programme and later completed Police Now’s Frontline Leadership Programme.
Nilufar confidently stepped into the Birmingham West Diversity and Inclusion Co-Lead role in 2021, collaborating with senior officers to raise awareness of the diverse experiences and issues affecting officers within the force. She also played an integral part in creating the first Birmingham ’Wellbeing Day’ for colleagues, which had 100 attendees and involved guest speakers, group discussions and information on support available. Attendees provided key feedback that was communicated with senior leaders in the force.
Click here for more information on Nelly’s work.
Runner Up: Outstanding Leadership
Police Constable Jamie Acton, Greater Manchester Police
PC Jamie Acton developed an innovative new approach to handling reports of missing people from hospitals across North Manchester. The multifaceted approach could save Greater Manchester Police over £7 million a year.
Jamie joined Greater Manchester Police in 2021 via Police Now’s National Graduate Leadership Programme. His pilot project identified ways in which missing people reports from hospitals could be effectively handled without formal police investigation, thus allowing officers to spend more time fighting crime and supporting the most vulnerable in the community.
Due to the success of the operation, the force are currently reviewing it and preparing to roll it out across other divisions.
Click here for more information on Jamie’s work.
Winner: Improving Public Confidence
Police Constable Tom Burrows, Surrey Police
PC Tom Burrows implemented ‘Positive Futures’ in Spelthorne – a pilot project which saw the police collaborate with school students to tackle anti-social behaviour in the community. The initiative resulted in improvements to the underpass in Sunbury Cross and stronger relationships between the police and local students.
Tom joined Surrey Police in 2021 via Police Now’s National Graduate Leadership Programme. He worked with local school students and a number of community stakeholders to facilitate the project and bring students closer to the work police do every day, allowing them to see first-hand the positive difference they can make to their local community.
Click here for more information on Tom’s work.
Runner Up: Improving Public Confidence
Police Constable Sanjar Najibi, Surrey Police
PC Sanjar Najibi joined Surrey Police in 2021 via Police Now’s National Graduate Leadership Programme and has worked hard to support a community of over 200 Afghan refugees in Elmbridge.
Having come to the UK at the age of five as an Afghan refugee himself, he draws on his own personal experiences and language skills to build public trust and confidence amongst the community.
He worked closely with local stakeholders and organised a number of community engagement events to support the public and break down barriers, resulting in improved lines of communication and reporting.
Click here for more information on Sanjar’s work.
Winner: Brilliant Community Problem Solving
Police Constable Jacob Davies, Metropolitan Police Service
PC Jacob Davies has significantly reduced anti-social behaviour (ASB) and improved public confidence in policing at a block of flats on his ward.
Jacob joined the Metropolitan Police Service in 2020 via Police Now’s National Graduate Leadership Programme. Following persistent reports of ASB and drug use at the property, he worked with colleagues across the force to gather intelligence, support victims and secure a warrant. With the strong evidence he gathered, a closure order was obtained and the offending resident subsequently evicted and rehoused with support from the council.
Thanks to his work to build more positive relationships with residents, there are now fewer reported incidents of ASB at the property and improved intelligence gathering in the area.
Click here for more information on Jacob’s work.
Runner Up: Brilliant Community Problem Solving
Police Constable Georgia Marshall, Kent Police
PC Georgia Marshall’s brilliant work on the Tonbridge and Malling Neighbourhood Policing Team led to a reduction of over 90% in youth ASB reports in Snodland town last summer (2022), with reports remaining consistently lower since then.
Georgia joined Kent Police in 2021 via Police Now’s National Graduate Leadership Programme. She worked closely with members of the public to gather intelligence, identify the perpetrators and issue Acceptable Behaviour Agreements and Community Protection Warnings.
She further engaged with the young people involved, their families, local schools, Kent Police’s Community Safety Unit, community partners and charities to divert those young people involved into more positive activities, particularly sporting opportunities.
Click here for more information on Georgia’s work.
