Deputy Chief Constable hosts award ceremonies

On Friday 4 March, Deputy Chief Constable Jim Colwell hosted two awards ceremonies at Powderham Castle to celebrate the long service of officers and staff and a leadership award.

He was joined by Lieutenant General Sir Andrew Peter Ridgway, Deputy Lieutenant for Devon as well as by colleagues and representatives from across the force.

The citations for the morning ceremony were read by Chief Superintendent Neil Ralph and for the afternoon ceremony by Superintendent Jo Hall.

Some of those to be recognised are listed below.


Long service awards

Detective Sergeant Daniel Bickford
Daniel joined Devon and Cornwall Police in November 2001, starting his career in Teignmouth, South Devon as a response officer.

In 2003, whilst on Torquay response, Dan received a commendation for his role in the arrest of armed robbers who attacked a secure transit driver. In Torbay he became a tutor on Core Skills and was posted to the Pro-Active team in Paignton. Dan completed his detective training in Torquay CID before joining the South West Regional Organised Crime Unit (SWROCU) known as Zephyr in 2011.

In SWROCU he trained as a surveillance officer and deployed on many operations across the country.

As a PSU officer Dan worked on the London Riots based at Brixton when violence broke out across the country and in 2014, he also supported the G7 in Wales.

In 2013 Dan was promoted to sergeant and returned to Torquay response before moving back into CID as a detective until 2016, when he returned to SWROCU taking up his current role as detective sergeant of the Operations Team. He continues to tackle serious and organised crime across the South West.

Dan is a modern policeman, looking to use and explore new methods alongside new technologies to tackle the most difficult of criminals. As a leader he strives for excellence in himself and in his team, never giving up and always pushing forward.

Dan remains enthusiastic, passionate, and committed to the police service, he shows every day that he is determined to make Devon and Cornwall along with the other South West forces a safer place for us all.


Peter Burren

Peter joined Devon and Cornwall Constabulary in February 2002 as what was then an Operations Division Policy Officer and has continued his commitment to policy ever since. This has resulted in his extensive and valuable knowledge of the organisation, especially in the world of operations. Peter is an asset not only to the policy unit but to countless other colleagues across the force.

He is proud to say that he is part of Devon and Cornwall Police and of the work he has undertaken during his time with the force, such as managing the body armour replacement project.

Peter is a caring and resilient individual with strong beliefs that attribute to the person he is today.

Peter has volunteered as a Peer Supporter since the beginning of the Covid-19 lockdown, becoming a Peer Support Manager not long after. ‘Being there’ for people in a supportive capacity is very important to Peter and he feels it is part of his ‘ecumenical and missional’ approach to life… which leads on to the next part of Peter’s journey.

Peter started on the discernment process for Church of England ministry in 2016. Balancing this new educational journey with a full-time job and a family, has been a formative journey for Peter who will be ordained in September 2022 at Exeter Cathedral and will thereafter be known as ‘The Reverend Deacon Peter Burren’.

Continuing his role as a Policy Officer and Peer Supporter, along with his work to become a Reverend Deacon not only shows a desire to serve his community, but also to support the friends and colleagues he has worked with over the years.


Police Constable Maria Conway
Maria, known as Mia to her teammates, joined Devon and Cornwall Police in October 1996, having worked at NatWest bank for eight years. She wanted a new challenge and volunteering as a Special Constable gave her the experience and skills to successfully gain a place at Cwmbran Police training.

She was posted to Ivybridge under and was there for three years covering a vast patch including picturesque Noss Mayo and Newton Ferrers.

Mia was one of those rare officers that passed her sergeants exam in her probationary period and she also met newly-promoted Sergeant Sean Conway. A chance meeting on a night out led to their happy marriage in 1999.

At this point, Mia was posted to Response at Crownhill, Plymouth but not long after in 2001 had passed her CID exam.

During each of her three pregnancies, she worked in the coroners’ office, completing important work heard in the Coroners’ Court.

In 2010, Mia returned to work from maternity leave, when Sean died unexpectedly. With three children all under the age of five, Mia took a five-year career break.

In 2012, Mia and her family attended the opening of Ashburton Police Station, named ‘Conway House’ after Sean.

At the end of her career break, in 2017, Mia returned to work at Crownhill in the Investigation and Resolution Centre.

She is such a strong role model for both her children and new members of the team. Her can-do attitude and positive outlook on life are to be admired.

Everyone ‘lights up’ when Mia is at work, and she is an absolute asset to the police force.


Sergeant Matthew Harkin
Matt Harkin joined Devon and Cornwall Police in November 2005. After completing his training, he spent five years on a Response section in Newton Abbot before joining the local Neighbourhood Team as the Kingsteignton Neighbourhood Beat Manager.

After three years, he returned to a Response section, working in Teignmouth and Torquay, before moving into the specialist Youth Intervention Officer role for Torbay. This role provided the opportunity for Matt to positively influence the lives of young people, something that he is passionate about. Whilst in post Matt trained to become a Princes Trust team leader and worked closely with local youth groups on a variety of projects.

In 2017 Matt was promoted to the rank of Sergeant, returning to his roots for two years on a Newton Abbot Response Section, before he became the Community Safety Sergeant for the whole of South Devon Basic Command Unit (BCU).

Matt already possessed the necessary skills, including a positive disposition and appetite for a challenge, so successfully embraced the role that also provided the opportunity to lead the BCU Youth Intervention.

He was integral in the development of the Torbay Multi Agency Out of Court Disposal Panel, a process that again reflects Matt’s passion in making things fairer for young people, ensuring that their future life chances are not unduly impacted on by their actions.

He has represented British Police at golf, has been the Force Golf Champion and regularly takes part in local competitions and events. He is held in high regard by others for the power behind his ‘drive’.


Barry Hunter
As Barry enters his seventieth year, he has spent the past 62 years of them serving the Crown.
Born in Buckinghamshire, his family emigrated to Canada when he was a young boy. Enjoying a passion for the outdoors, he naturally was drawn to the cubs and scouts, which led him into serving with the Canadian Army airborne infantry.

He transferred his skills into the Metropolitan Toronto Police, where he served in a variety of roles from plain clothes, traffic, firearms, and response.

Barry returned to the UK in 1980 and join the Parachute Regiment, working in multiple roles worldwide from the Artic to desert regions and rose to the rank of sergeant.

In January 2002 Barry joined Devon and Cornwall Police in the role of a Radio Dispatch Officer, based at Crownhill station, joining the Special Constabulary in the same year.

He was posted to Redruth/Camborne stations and is still serving his local community 20 years later. He has served through the recent pandemic, serving alongside his regular colleagues and currently a member of “G999” a core response callsign designated to support those in crisis with their mental health. Barry has attained the rank of SC Inspector.

In 2003 Barry transferred to the Operational Training Unit and he was one of the first instructors in force to become Taser-trained. In 2019, he was recognised as a Master Instructor. He has shared his skills, knowledge and experience across both counties, from HQ the Isles of Scilly and even down to the Falkland Islands.

Over the past 15 years, he has been a cadet leader with the Volunteer Police Cadet programme and his friendship, knowledge, and enthusiasm is boundless.


Police Constable Rich Steer-Frost
Rich joined Devon and Cornwall Police in October 2001, completing his initial training between Middlemoor and Cwmbran.

Once his initial training was completed, Rich undertook his core skills at Marlborough Street, Devonport.

He then moved to Crownhill, where he joined the Efford and Mount Gould ward team before moving to patrol at Charles Cross, which included a short spell on the pro-active team.

In 2004, Rich left Plymouth and moved to the Bay where he worked at both Brixham and Torquay, before moving to Heavitree Road, Exeter.

He worked predominantly on patrol, however, he also worked on local investigation, before moving to patrol in Mid Devon, before going full circle and moving back to Plymouth in 2019, taking up his current role as a neighbourhood beat manager at Devonport covering the St Budeaux and Barne Barton areas.

Rich enjoys the job now even more so than when he first joined and looks forward to seeing what the remainder of his policing career holds in store.


Superintendent Edward Wright
Ed joined Devon and Cornwall Police in November 2001, having previously worked as publican.
Born in Alexandria, Scotland, he moved to the village of Harberton at the age of six, where his dad, an ex-Naval Commander, owned and ran the Church House Inn.

Ed has embraced many different roles in various departments and locations at several ranks within Devon and Cornwall Police, including response, a pro-active unit, CID, Public Protection Unit, Review and Inspections, Deputy Crime Commander and he is now the Partnership Superintendent for South Devon.

The values dearest to Ed are achievement, inquisitiveness, dependability, adventure and teamwork. These he has demonstrated throughout his career journey, and they can also be seen in the way he supports and encourages others.

Ed has received many awards and commendations relating to his contributions to the force and community in which he serves, including being Detective of the Year in 2007 , he saved a woman from drowning off the coast of Teignmouth and was the senior investigating officer for a child abduction, which led to safely recovering a child from Cambodia.

Ed developed the first Health and Wellbeing Plan for the Public Protection Unit, the co-location of Domestic Abuse Services within South Devon, implemented the Strategic Safeguarding Improvement Hub and is helping to develop the Investigation Academy. He led part of the criminal justice leadership development group whereby he taught hundreds of staff to tune into their values and beliefs, an area Ed is passionate about.

Ed is enthusiastic, passionate, well liked and a highly professional officer who is committed to the police service and determined to make Devon and Cornwall a safe place to live.


Chief Constable’s Leadership Award

John Harrison
John retired towards the end of 2021 after a seven years with both forces as the Chief Medical Officer and Strategic Wellbeing lead, after a highly successful career within the NHS.

John joined Devon and Cornwall Police in May 2014 and quickly recognised the need to both develop and modernise the Occupational Health Service and the force’s strategic approach to wellbeing. He quickly sought organisational support and gained approval for the introduction of a comprehensive health and wellbeing strategy which links individual, leadership and organisational actions. The strategy was a fundamental shift of emphasis and recognised the need for a holistic approach to support the imbalance of a service facing increased demand and scrutiny whilst resources (both financial and people) were being severely cut.

The Wellbeing Agenda has made huge strides under John’s leadership to the point it was described as ‘outstanding’ under Her Majesty’s Inspectorate’s assessment.

He has similarly transformed the force’s in-house Occupational Health Service developing both the clinical and non-clinical elements of his team and refocusing the provision to one which is primarily nurse-led.

John has been widely regarded as the Regional Strategic Wellbeing lead and represented the policing service at the Association of Local Authority Medical Advisors (ALAMA). For the last three years he was seconded on a part-time basis to the College of Policing as the Senior Medical Advisor to the National Police Welfare Service.

He has also very personally supported leaders, either when they have faced challenges or when those they lead have. John is a truly exceptional leader who has a positive impact on and gains the respect of all colleagues, irrespective of their rank, grade or role.

He has been an outstanding Chief Medical Officer who inspires others through his dedication, professionalism, calm and friendly demeanour and will be a considerable loss to the service when he retires.

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