South Wales Police

Rugby youngsters spend a night in the cells...

20 players from Gowerton RFC  U14’s have taken part in very different kind of team building exercise by being the latest youngsters to experience a ‘night in the cells’ at Fairwater Police Station.

On Friday 20th January 2012 the players took part in the project which aims to raise awareness about the consequences of crime and anti social behaviour, whilst also providing an insight into local police work and crime prevention.

On arrival the players got the authentic custody treatment with fingerprints and photographs being taken, followed by a stint behind bars and a generous portion of custody ‘beans and wedges’.

Sam Williams aged 14 said on the night “The team was looking forward to being locked up, but it was an experience we will not forget. By taking part we have managed to fundraise over £1000 for our summer rugby tour.”

PCSO Chris Missen who’s the project lead said “Night in the cells is continually developing and has become a very effective youth engagement project. This rugby themed event represented the first time that a youth group from outside of Cardiff has taken part and it’s great that the project has attracted interest from over 50 miles away in Swansea.”

Cardiff based Superintendent Julian Williams, who is also the backs coach of the youth team said “The youngsters have a strong team ethos and this was enhanced further by their participation in the project. They not only got a lasting educational experience but also learned about the many different roles in policing.”

This was an independent investigation by the IPCC into these matters.  Following the investigation South Wales Police held a Misconduct hearing into the following alleged breaches:

·        That the officers failed appropriately to progress allegations of serious crime made by the complainant.

·        That one of the officers provided the complainant with alcohol.

·        That the officers obstructed access by the complainant to a solicitor.

·        That the officers supplied the complainant with inducements in order that he would confess to offences.

·        That the officers falsely represented the complainant’s admissions in their records.

As a result of further evidence coming to light after the IPCC Investigation had concluded, the IPCC agreed the South Wales Police representation that breach 1 should be withdrawn.

Between 9th January and 12th January 2012 the Officers subject of these allegations appeared before a Misconduct Hearing chaired by the Deputy Chief Constable of South Wales Police who was accompanied by a Senior Superintendent and an Independent member (non police employee) appointed for such hearings by the South Wales Police Authority.  The hearing was observed by a representative from the IPCC.

During the 4 day* hearing the panel heard oral evidence from numerous witnesses including the now 19 year old complainant in this case, prison staff and the two Police Officers subject of the allegations.

At the conclusion of the hearing after considering all the evidence and on the balance of probabilities, the panel upheld the following two allegations that summarised below:

·        That one of the officers had provided the complainant with alcohol.

·        That the second officer had failed in his responsibility to challenge or report on this conduct.

·        That the officers obstructed access by the complainant to a solicitor.

However, the panel dismissed the following allegations summarised below:

·        That the officers supplied the complainant with inducements in order that he would confess to offences.

·        That the officers falsely represented the complainant’s admissions in their records.

Based upon their findings, the panel decided upon the following sanctions:

-  In respect of the first officer, his conduct was assessed as Gross Misconduct in respect of the supply of alcohol, for which he received a Final Written Warning and Misconduct in respect of the obstruction of access to a solicitor, for which he received a Written Warning

- The second officer’s conduct was assessed as Misconduct, in respect of his failure to report or challenge the supply of alcohol for which he received a Written Warning and Misconduct in respect of the obstruction of access to a solicitor for which he received a further Written Warning.

* In total, the Discipline panel convened for 6 days which includes the 3rd and 7th October when legal submissions were considered.

South Wales Police Assistant Chief Constable Nick Croft said:  “These Officers have acted in a manner which clearly falls well below the standards expected of them by the communities of South Wales.  Their conduct will undoubtedly cause concern to members of the public, to the Police Service and their Police colleagues.

“After a four day discipline process, one of the officers subject of these allegations received a Final Written Warning for conduct assessed as Gross Misconduct, the second officer receiving a Written Warning for Misconduct.

“It is of some reassurance that the detailed IPCC investigation has confirmed that there is no evidence to suggest the findings of this case were indicative of any wider systematic abuse of this process by any other officers.

“Not withstanding these reassurances, immediately after these allegations emerged, South Wales Police reviewed its policies for dealing with admissions to offences which are taken into consideration (TICs), and procedures which govern the management of people who are produced from prison into Police custody to assist investigations.”

ends

South Wales Police has been ranked as the top Welsh police force in the ‘Top 100 Employers in Britain’ Stonewall survey for lesbian, gay and bisexual people in 2012.

At an Awards Ceremony held in London on Wednesday 11 January 2012, it was announced that South Wales Police has been placed 23rd in the ‘Top 100 Employers in Britain’ and 4th in Wales for Stonewall’s Workplace Equality Index 2012.

The Index measures how employers treat their staff regardless of their sexual orientation so that everyone is treated equally. It also measures how well diversity is promoted and accepted within the workplace.

Mr Mark Milton, Strategic Director of HR at South Wales Police, said,

“The news of our success in reaching 23rd in this prestigious index is something South Wales Police values greatly. An increase of 45 places on our previous result is recognition of the great effort put in by everybody in the organisation to demonstrate our understanding of our Lesbian, Gay and Bisexual community and staff.

“It is important to us that all of our staff feel they can be themselves at work and, in doing so, are better able to excel in serving the public.

“We will still continue to strive for a more diverse workforce at all ranks and levels to enable us to be the best at understanding and responding to the communities we serve.”

The charity Stonewall will be holding a Welsh Awards ceremony next week to celebrate the ‘Top 12 Employers in Wales’.

Fo further information on Stonewall and the Workplace Equality Index 2012 visit http://goo.gl/TjDyw

The roll out of the 101 service has been completed and was officially launched today by Policing and Criminal Justice Minister Nick Herbert. This means that every police force in Wales and England now has the same non-emergency contact number.

101 will be the number to call when the public want to contact their local police to report crime and disorder that does not need an emergency response. The 101 number will replace all the existing different numbers to contact South Wales Police. 

In an emergency always dial 999 when you need an immediate response because a crime is in progress, a suspect is near by, to report minor traffic collisions and to give the police information about other crime.

101 is one easy to remember number that will help prevent and tackle crime and will also help reduce the pressure on 999 emergency calls.

101 will be the number for the public to call for:

• Car has been stolen
• Property has been damaged
• Pass information about drug use or dealing
• Reporting minor traffic collisions
• Giving information about other crime

The redesign of 101 will not change the way South Wales Police responds to non-emergency calls.

South Wales Police Assistant Chief Constable Nick Croft said “The changes to 101 will make it easier for communities to report crime and disorder, and will help South Wales Police deliver an even better service.”

Policing & Criminal Justice Minister Nick Herbert said “The introduction of the 101 number marks one of the most significant changes in the way people contact the police since 999 was introduced nearly 70 years ago. Together with street level mapping and the election of Police Crime Commissioners, 101 marks another step forward in our ambition to strengthen the connection between the police and public, and cut crime.”

For further information on the 101 service please visit the ‘contact us’ pages of the South Wales Police website http://goo.gl/KRzUY or visit www.police.uk/101

Mr Dale Cartwright has been appointed as the new Specials Chief Officer for South Wales Police, leading the force’s Special Constabulary as they support regular police officers to fight crime.

Dale took up appointment on 1st January 2012 as the successor of Mrs Sue Bowes-Evans, who served as Chief Commandant for 11 years before retiring from a staggering 37-year career with South Wales Police.

When 25-year-old Dale isn’t in force, you’ll find him practising medicine in his day job as a trainee doctor.

Special Constables are volunteers who have the same powers as regular police officers, wearing the same uniform and receiving the same training.

In 2011 alone, the force Special Constabulary clocked up a total of 40,000 voluntary hours.

Having been a Special Constable for over four years now, he is used to making the dash from the College of Medicine at Swansea University to the station.

Dale said: “I’d always wanted to become a doctor but also had an interest in policing, so when I applied to study Medicine I also applied to join the police. I thought I’d let fate decide and the letter from Swansea University arrived first!”

Being a trainee doctor came in handy when Dale was working on the frontline. He used his experience to become the team medic on one of the force PSUs (Public Support Units) and has used his first aid skills on the beat.

Recalling one such incident, Dale said: “I was the first officer on the scene of a road traffic collision where a young man had been hit by a bus in Trecynon. I immediately administered first aid and assisted the rapid response paramedic until an ambulance arrived.

“I travelled with the young man in the ambulance to the hospital and was able to use my communications skills learned in medical school to liaise with his family when they arrived.”

Dale spent his first two years of service patrolling his home town of Aberdare as part of the Cynon Neighbourhood Policing Team. He went on to become Senior Specials Coordinator for Merthyr Tydfil and the Cynon Valley, which involved forming police operations and pushing through neighbourhood policing initiatives.

In his new role, Dale will be responsible for coordinating Special Constables across the force. One of his priorities is to ensure that the skills used by Special Constables in their day jobs are utilised during their volunteering.

He said: “Special Constables often have outside skills that compliment their work as police officers. Deploying officers into posts that allow them to exercise these skills will create stronger teams and a fitter organisation.

“Special Constables are incredibly valued by their colleagues for the hours they put in. Speaking from experience it’s challenging, but extremely rewarding.”

Dale’s dedication to volunteering has been widely recognised. One of his career highlights was in November 2010, when he was presented with the Harry King Award at the all-Wales Special Constabulary Ceremony held at Tredegar House in Gwent.

The award was donated by Mrs Anne King to commemorate the time her late husband, Mr Harry King, spent in the Special Constabulary. He was an officer with South Wales Police for 21 years.

Chief Constable Peter Vaughan said: "We are fortunate to have a group of committed and enthusiastic Special Constables at South Wales Police, and we are immensely appreciative of the work they do to help keep our communities safe.

"During his time with us, Dale has shown himself to be an exemplary individual and I am impressed by what he has achieved.

"I am sure that the Special Constabulary will thrive under his leadership."

Dale is still considering which field of medicine he will specialise in after graduation, but insisted he sees a long future with the force.

He added: “I am absolutely delighted to have been accepted for the role of Chief Officer and am excited for the challenge.”

ENDS

Chief Superintendent Mark Mathias, Policing Commander for the Swansea and Neath Port Talbot areas, has been awarded the Queen’s Police Medal for distinguished service.

Deputy Chief Constable Colette Paul wished to congratulate Mark for the incredible achievement.

She said: “My warmest congratulations go to Mark. He is an absolute credit to South Wales Police and this award is wholly deserved.”

“Throughout his service, Mark has been a true leader and has gone way above the call of duty as Commander of policing for Swansea and Neath Port Talbot.

“His unique policing style has made a tremendous difference to our communities, and is evidenced in the lasting relationships he has built in the local area and the falling crime figures for the western area of the force.

DCC Paul added: “I know Mark’s friends and colleagues from South Wales Police, our partner agencies, and our communities will be delighted he has received this recognition.”

ENDS

Over 130 taxis were stopped checked during a joint police and local authority operation in Cardiff and Swansea city centres.

Officers from the South Wales Police Commercial Vehicle Unit, in conjunction with local authority Taxi Licensing Officers, have been conducting safety checks on taxis during the last fortnight to ensure vehicles are fit to escort passengers over the busy festive season.

Chief Superintendent Cliff Filer, the Force Head of Specialist Operations said: “It is a cause for concern that 16 out of the 28 taxis stop-checked in Swansea city centre were issued with immediate prohibitions for having defective vehicles.

“These prohibitions ranged from defective lights, to defective tyres where cord and ply were exposed, and tread well below the legal limit.

“Last year’s winter weather caused hazardous driving conditions, and with the heavy rainfall this year, it is imperative that we, together with our partners within Local Authority licensing team, do what we can to ensure the roadworthiness of our communities’ cabs.”

The checks in the Welsh cities included lights, tyres, first aid kits and fire extinguishers, and the drivers authenticated by checking their licence badges.

In Cardiff, 23 drivers were issued with deferred suspensions, requiring them to make prompt repairs to defects on their vehicles.

22 verbal warnings were also issued, including warnings for drivers who failed to appropriately display their identification.

Chief Superintendent Filer added: “We regularly run taxi safety operations and it is unacceptable that some drivers are still failing to adequately maintain their vehicles.

“These are professional drivers, and ensuring the safety and roadworthiness of their vehicles must be paramount. Defective vehicles put themselves, their passengers and other road users in danger.

“We had a really warm response from the public during the operation, and work will continue throughout the force area with our partners including the taxi drivers associations in the New Year.”

ENDS

Forensic Operations Manager for South Wales Police, David Thomas, dropped in on a Technocamps workshop at Swansea University last week to help raise the profile of STEM-related (Science, Technology, Engineering, Maths) careers within the Police. 

Mr Thomas explained to Year 9 pupils from Cefn Hengoed how thousands of criminals are identified in the South Wales area every year through the application of science and technology thanks to a team of highly qualified forensic practitioners working within the Scientific Investigations Unit (SIU).

In addition to learning about fingerprint, DNA and footwear analyses during the session, every pupil got a chance to get to grips with the South Wales Police’s “Microviper”, which is a powerful and portable trace evidence Forensic Microscope. During the session pupils were shown a 100 times magnification of such items as human hair, clothing fabrics and microscopic pores on their fingertips.

Mr Thomas said: “Having the ability to provide a unique insight to pupils on current forensic technology within the police service is extremely rewarding, especially given the significant scientific advancements that we have seen within modern day policing over the last few years.”

Director of Technocamps, Professor Faron Moller, added: “Technocamps is about getting young people in Wales excited about computing and challenging them to think about the world around them in a different way. We want to capture job roles out there, some that they would least expect, which is why guest speaker sessions from the likes of the South Wales Police are so important to the project.

“So if you’re a games developer, professional programmer or simply work in an exciting role that you think would inspire young people to follow a career in STEM and are able to spare an hour of your time, then we want to hear from you.”

South Wales Police Assistant Chief Constable Matt Jukes, who is the force lead for Specialist Crime said: "Forensic science is becoming increasingly important to solving all types of crime and has transformed much of the work we do in police laboratories in Wales.

“We are keen to support the development of skills in schools and beyond, and hope that some of the students taking part in Technocamps will be inspired to become future members of our specialist teams.”

Backed by £3.9 million from the European Social Fund through the Welsh Government, Technocamps provides daily and week sessions to young people aged 11-19 within the convergence areas of Wales, on a range of exciting computing-based topics such as programming, robotics, cryptography and much more. Technocamps has the long term goal of encouraging them to pursue careers in an area that will drive economic growth in Wales.

ENDS

Notes:

For further information on Technocamps or to register your interest in Technocamps activities, please visit www.technocamps.com or call 01792 606890. Alternatively, email the Technocamps team at info@technocamps.com .

South Wales Police & Gwent Police say: Don’t have a nightmare this Christmas!

Don’t get involved in fights – walk away

Ahead of one of the busiest weekends of the year for pubs and clubs, Gwent Police and South Wales Police are encouraging people not to get involved in fights after having one too many!

The reminder comes as part of the month long Don’t Have a Nightmare This Christmas campaign which the two police forces are running to help everyone have a safe and enjoyable Christmas and New Year.

At this time of year, many people are going out to celebrate Christmas and the New Year with their friends, family or work colleagues.

Gwent Police and South Wales Police are reminding young men in particular not to lose their temper on nights out:

• Don’t get involved in fights – walk away
• Drink in moderation. Eat something before you go out. Take breaks and have a soft drink now and again
• Know your own limits. Don’t try to keep up with everyone else!
• Don’t let alcohol ruin your night – don’t do something that you will regret

Posters and adverts have been put up in local pubs and clubs reinforcing these messages. A short film showing the consequences of drinking too much and getting involved in a fight can also be viewed on the campaign website, www.donthaveanightmare.org.uk.

Messages will also be going out on social networking sites throughout the week.

Gwent Police Assistant Chief Constable Simon Prince, said: “We often see at this time of year that people, young men in particular, consume more alcohol than they would usually, which can often cloud their judgement. The choices that they make however can have long lasting consequences. Our message is simple, we want people to have an enjoyable time, but if you get involved in fights then you will be arrested and could end up having a criminal record.

“We will have lots have officers out and about this weekend to ensure that revellers visiting our towns and cities have a safe and enjoyable time. But they will be taking a no nonsense approach towards violence.”  

Assistant Chief Constable Julian Kirby of South Wales Police said: “Town centres will be busy this weekend as revellers celebrate the start of the Christmas holidays.  As a result, we would like to remind people who are visiting the pubs and clubs to behave and drink responsibly, so that everyone has a safe and enjoyable time. We will not tolerate acts of violence under any circumstances, and our officers will be out in force across South Wales to deal with those intent on ruining Christmas for everybody else.”