Derbyshire police officers are recognised at force's awards night
The Derbyshire Constabulary Celebrating Achievement Awards took place at the force’s headquarters in Ripley on April 19.
Among the winners on the night was the team involved in Operation Chromium.
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Hide AdOperation Chromium was a major investigation into the organised supply of controlled drugs in the Buxton and surrounding areas.
The ringleader of the drug dealing gang was 45-year-old Neil Ogden.
The police investigation into Ogden’s activities began in 2012 when he was suspected of money laundering offences.
When his home in Chesterfield was searched officers discovered a large amount of cash, drugs, mobile phones and luxury cars.
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Hide AdAs the investigation widened, officers discovered that Ogden had links to people across Derbyshire and Nottinghamshire, all of whom had previous convictions for drug offences.
In total over 40 people were arrested and 16 charged and convicted of drug and money laundering offences. They were jailed for a total of 28 years. Ogden himself was found guilty of 15 charges and received a number of sentences totalling 71 years in prison.
Handing out the award, Chief Constable Mick Creedon of Derbyshire Constabulary, said: “The scale of the police operation was huge with a small team at the helm.
“Their hard work, commitment and effort have been recognised.”
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Hide AdThose involved with Operation Chromium, who were presented with the award, are: Detective Sergeant Jon Lowes, Detective Constable Rebecca Timperley, Superintendent Jim Allen, Detective Sergeant Ed Mellor, Detective Constable Paul Miller, Constable Lora Campbell, Temporary Detective Constable Jamie Farrell, Temporary Detective Constable Paul Flint, David Knight and Alison Hodson.
* Two Constables, Martyn Woodward and Ashley Sayer, were also recognised at the awards night.
On the morning of September 3, 2015, the police received a call that a distressed man was intending to take his own life.
Constable Sayer went to the man’s home in New Mills, and found the front door open.
He entered and saw a sign ‘warning carbon monoxide’.
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Hide AdThere was a strange smell inside; after relaying this to force control room he was instructed to withdraw for his own safety.
The occupant worked in a chemical lab and there was a potential risk of other hazardous substances.
Constable Woodward soon joined him and while waiting for the fire service, they made a decision together to take immediate action to save the man’s life.
The officers carried out a search and found him in the bathroom where he had lit two barbeques.
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Hide AdThey carried him outside and administered first aid until the ambulance service arrived.
After several days in intensive care, he made a full recovery.
Chief Constable Mick Creedon said: “These officers were extremely brave.
“They put their own safety aside for the benefit of others.
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Hide Ad“It is life-or-death decisions such as this, that officers make 24/7, day in and day out.”
* Detective Constable Paul Hackett was also honoured on the night, after spearheading a long-term and complex investigation into a fraud case.
An accountant who worked for the Citizens Advice Bureau in Matlock was jailed in December after pleading guilty to fraud offences.
Paul Cooper admitted fraud and abuse of position after transferring more than £250,000 in 40 different transactions into his own personal and business accounts over a two year period.
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Hide AdThe 56-year-old spent the money living a lavish lifestyle by buying high powered cars, luxury holidays and livery fees for horses.
The investigation took 18 months to bring to a successful conclusion and was complex as Cooper transferred money into several different accounts.
The trial judge summed up by saying this was a despicable crime which put the service of the Citizens Advice Bureau in jeopardy.
Chief Constable Mick Creedon said: “Detective Constable Hackett is commended for his tenacity and attention to detail.
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Hide Ad“This resulted in a successful conviction and sentence of four-and-a-half years in prison.”
* Constables Ruth Chidlow and Andrew Cropper were honoured with a testimonial on vellum by the Royal Humane Society for their bravery.
The officers were on duty on June 3, 2015 searching for a man who had been reported by his mother, who was concerned about his state of mind.
His car was found near the railway line at Stonebroom and call analysis revealed he was in the Alfreton area.
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Hide AdOn her own instinct Constable Chidlow made her way to Alfreton railway station to search for him.
There, she saw a man matching the description given, on the northbound platform.
As she approached him, he jumped onto the track and crossed over two lines, to the southbound platform.
A train then passed, at about 40 miles per hour missing the man by seconds.
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Hide AdConstable Chidlow passed details back to her operator and was soon joined by Constable Cropper.
After the train passed, the man walked along the track towards an oncoming freight train.
The officers were aware the train was coming but did not know if the driver was aware of the situation.
When the train was about 200m away, the two officers jumped down onto the track and pulled the man off the track and out of the path of the train.
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Hide AdThe testimonial said: “These officers put their own lives at risk.
“They showed astonishing courage beyond the call of duty.”
* Another award on the night went to Sarah Tillott, Stuart McKay, Catherine Butler and Shawn Flather.
The quartet received a Certificate Of Commendation from the Royal Humane Society after helping a motorcyclist who was severley injured on the Woodhead Pass.
Rudy Lisapaly, who was over in England from the Netherlands, had to have his leg amputated after the crash.
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Hide AdStuart and Catherine were driving by and were the first to reach him.
It was very fortunate a trained nurse joined them – that was Sarah; she told them how to strap the leg whilst she held Rudy’s head to aid his breathing.
Rudy was struggling to breathe so Sarah and Stuart removed his helmet.
Shawn joined them and he and Stuart removed Rudy’s belt and used it as a more efficient tourniquet.
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Hide AdAll of them helped until paramedics arrived, 40 minutes later.
A spokesperson from the RHS said: “This award goes some way to pay back their kindness – the kindness of perfect strangers – but they are no longer strangers to the Lisapaly family and for some months now Rudy, his family and friends have wanted to say their own ‘thank you’”