Exceptional examples of how police officers, staff and volunteers go above and beyond in their line of duty to make Devon, Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly safer places to live, work and visit, has been acknowledged during an inspiring awards ceremony.
The annual awards highlight the excellent contributions being made to policing day-in, day-out, but which often go unreported and remarked. At a time when the police need support, the awards aim to highlight great work and maintain public confidence. Nominations were submitted from across the police force, alongside endorsements from partner agencies.
Police Crime Commissioner Alison Hernandez, who attended the second Annual Recognition of Excellence in Policing Awards at Sandy Park Conference Centre on Friday, June 13, has given her heartfelt thanks to the recipients across 19 varied categories.
Commissioner Hernandez (pictured right, with Chief Constable James Vaughan, left, and Museum of Policing in Devon & Cornwall Patron John Casson, MBE, centre) said: “It is a privilege to have supported these awards again which recognise the exceptional efforts and achievements within Devon & Cornwall Police. I have heard incredible stories of how police officers, staff and volunteers have gone above and beyond to keep communities safe, bring perpetrators to justice, and protecting victims.
“They do not always get the credit they deserve for going that extra mile, especially in highly complex and challenging policing specialisms. I would personally like to thank everyone within the force who is helping to provide a police service that people can trust and have confidence in.”
Chief Constable James Vaughan said: “It was an honour to present these awards to officers, staff and volunteers who embody the best in policing across the Force. I was humbled to hear their stories, and it is only right that they are recognised for how they serve our communities with competence, compassion and a common-sense approach. Congratulations to everyone who was nominated.”
Bill Skelly QPM, Chair of Trustees of the Museum of Policing in Devon & Cornwall, added: “As a policing charity, it is a privilege to work with the Force and the Commissioner to recognise all the efforts of officers and staff through the year, which are often taken for granted, or go unrecognised. Their achievements form part of tomorrow’s policing history, which we are honoured to preserve.”
The winners of the Excellence in Policing Awards 2025 included Detective Constable Kathryn Harris.
In 2024, three predatory men were found guilty of raping vulnerable young girls in Plymouth. Between them they were sentenced to more than 40 years in prison. The outcome was as the result of a complex and lengthy child sexual exploitation investigation called Operation Garcia which resulted in a total of four men being charged. DC Harris was the officer in the case which included conducting the investigation, locating evidence, and interviewing both witnesses and suspects. She was also the dedicated Sexual Offence Liaison Officer for the final five complainants after gaining their trust. DC Harris has been praised for her consistency, compassion and dedication which was critical to the investigation. The trial judge commended the work of DC Harris and the wider team. In her award nomination DC Harris was described as an exceptional detective and a first-class example of what public service should look like.
Patrol Officer of the Year was Police Constable Nicola Page. In her role as NBM for the Torpoint area, PC Gething has been proactive in dealing with multiple incidents of antisocial behaviour (ASB) in Millbrook over the last year, through the Millbrook Youth Project. That work has included instigating intervention from the Assertive Outreach Team to unlock potential in young people, and providing various activities to engage with over the summer months, supported by local parish council and councillors. It has resulted in reports of ASB greatly reducing which has been positively welcomed by the local community. In her award nomination, she was described as being the friendly face of local policing while skillfully managing the risk of harm to local communities.
Detective of the Year was Detective Constable Jon Stephens. Over the last 12 months, DC Stephens’s Rape and Serious Sexual Offences (RASSO) investigations have produced in excess of 30 years’ worth of sentences for serious offenders. These high-profile cases have provided justice for victims, safeguarded the public, and boosted confidence in policing and the wider criminal justice system. DC Stephens has been described as an exceptional detective with a meticulous and common-sense approach, with tenacity, compassion, and having victims at the heart of everything.
