Lancashire Police praises officers who have gone above and beyond for people of Blackpool and the Fylde Coast

Special thanks have been given to police officers and staff who have gone above and beyond to keep the residents of Blackpool and the Fylde Coast safe.

Lancashire Police’s West Division celebrated success during a special awards ceremony in June.

The awards recognised the hard work, dedication and professionalism of officers and staff who have made a significant contribution towards keeping Lancashire safe.  

Chief Superintendent Karen Edwards, Divisional Commander of West Division, said: “We had a fantastic night celebrating the achievements of our officers and staff at the Excellence Awards. West Division were excellently represented, with successes across a huge range of areas within the Constabulary.

“I would like to offer my congratulations to all the award winners and runners up, who have put in an extraordinary effort to support their local communities and team members.

“These awards are just a handful of examples of some of the fantastic work that is done on a daily basis throughout West Division, and I look forward to celebrating more successes for us in the future.”

The winners and runners-up for West Division are:

• Creativity and Innovation in Policing - Sergeant Luke Barber, Response Sergeant - Winner

Luke has a passion for innovation and improving how we do things as an organisation, for the benefit of both victims and staff who work for the Constabulary. He has been at the forefront of using technology to deliver a better service.

After realising a system used by officers required improvement, Luke was pro-active in his approach for change. He worked with colleagues from CID, Evidence Review Officers and with a dedicated Crime Prosecution Service representative, to work through new ways to develop the system. 

Luke has since developed a streamlined and user-friendly way for officers and staff to submit information for their investigations. It is believed that Luke’s work has potentially saved hundreds of hours of additional work for officers. 

He did all this, whilst still fulfilling his duties as a busy Response Sergeant in Blackpool. 

• Everyday Hero - Nicola Leigh, Police Cadet Coordinator - Winner

Nicola has a team of Cadet Leaders and over 100 Cadets in her unit. She was awarded for her unwavering support, both inside and outside of her working hours. 

Nicola played a huge role in one of Blackpool Police Cadet’s biggest community events. Over 250 families were welcomed to The Grange in Blackpool, where children were able to experience what it was like to be a police officer for the day. Due to the success of the event, there has been a large demand for another to be ran.

Along with the support she gives to her team, Nicola has been recognised for her work within the community. She has been a part of local building maintenance, fundraising for charity, tree planting and bike coding events. 

• Extraordinary Police Service - Sergeant James Pinder, Task Force Sergeant - Winner

James has been instrumental in the setting up, delivery and performance of the Rural Task Force within West Division. The Rural Task Force was introduced in recognition of the vulnerabilities some of our communities had due to their remote location, as well as the significant impact rural crime has on local business. Lancashire’s Rural Task Force is now regarded as best practice nationally. 

On top of this, James is the Constabulary’s go-to Police Search Advisor (PolSA). In the past 12 months he has led on plans for numerous high-level cases due to his knowledge, skillset, and detail.

He has been described as a credit to the Constabulary.

• Lifetime Achievement - Jane Webb, Detective Chief Inspector - Winner

Jane was promoted to Detective Chief Inspector in May 2018, and started her role in the Force Major Investigations Team (FMIT) in November 2020. This year, she has been accredited to higher authority due to presenting a portfolio with a range and depth of experience across multiple homicide investigations.

Jane is known to quickly identify high priority actions and key lines of enquiry within investigations, positively encouraging opinion and challenge. She also has a real interest in the training and development of others, supporting and mentoring staff, and has commissioned training to address any gaps within FMIT to ensure we deliver the best service to victims. 

Under Jane’s leadership, West Division have managed a large number of high-level investigations with huge success.

• Rising Star - Sabine Skae, Lancashire Police Museum Coordinator - Runner up

Sabine manages the day-to-day running of the Lancashire Police Museum, located within a former prison wing at Lancaster Castle. The Museum is a partnership between the Constabulary, Duchy of Lancaster and the Office of the Police and Crime Commissioner. 

Since the museum was opened in June 2022 Sabine has developed a series of specialist talks, events, school visits and more, educating people of all ages about the history of Lancashire Constabulary and all its specialist teams.

Sabine manages the museum along with a small but dedicated team of volunteers which she has recruited and trained. She also collates and curates exhibits, showcasing some of the Constabulary’s most interesting pieces of history.

The museum has attracted almost 12,000 visitors of all ages and backgrounds, including the Earl and Countess of Wessex, and was nominated for ‘Visitor Attraction of the Year’ in the 2022 Love Lancaster Business Awards. 

• Supporting Communities - Gemma Barr, ASB, Prevention and Problem-Solving Inspector - Runner up

Gemma was recognised for her work in Blackpool, supporting victims of anti-social behaviour (ASB) and utilising partnership working to tackle it. 

Increased levels of violent crime and anti-social behaviour were seen in some areas of Blackpool during the pandemic. Gemma identified the issues and led on the creation of a Risk Management Group, which saw the development and implementation of a multi-agency approach to supporting those committing offences. It ensured that behaviour was monitored, any vulnerability was identified, and the appropriate agency took the lead at addressing the issues. Crime and disorder levels reduced significantly during the initiative, and the Risk Management Group continues to this day.

Gemma has led on work to address youth-related ASB on the Brunswick ward of Blackpool. She frequently attended resident meetings and worked with partners to develop the Brunswick pop-up shop; an intense programme of visibility, engagement and support for the community. Gemma has also supported local communities through her work on the Claremont Project, which supports vulnerable families on the ward.

She is described as an outstanding leader and her commitment to supporting communities is second to none.

• Outstanding Leadership - Liam Davy, Response T/Inspector - Runner up

Liam is the longest serving Response Sergeant in Blackpool (recently promoted to Temporary Inspector), who has been described as still being committed to providing a high level of service to the public as he was the day he joined. 

As a constant source of support, both professionally and personally, Liam is known for leading from the front and empowers his team to make time critical decisions at major incidents. Colleagues say he is the first to run out of the police station should someone need assistance.

He has a particular drive to make sure children and women are safe within our communities, and also ensures all victims are treat with the respect the rightly deserve. His team said: “He makes us feel valued and appreciated. His constant professional, but approachable attitude always steers us in the right direction.”