Cumbrian officer wins award for community policing work
A/Sgt Phil Hall, based in Eden, received the Neighbourhood Policing Award at the Cumbria Police Federation 2025 Recognition Awards for his work tackling criminality, and supporting vulnerable people.
Over the past year, A/Sgt Hall worked with legal services on more than 30 breaches of anti-social behaviour injunctions involving four of Eden's most prolific offenders.
His efforts in preparing court cases led to a custodial sentence, the first of its kind issued in Cumbria.
He also worked with the Cumbria Road Safety Partnership to develop a community plan for managing speeding complaints and supported the integration of resettled communities in Eden by helping to produce guides on English law, key contacts, and support services.
A/Sgt Hall said: "I'm really passionate about community policing.
"It's not a glamorous job, but you are doing the stuff that matters to the public.
"The disputes, the ongoing issues, the drug dealing.
"The stuff that actually hurts the heart of the community.
"That's what I enjoy getting to grips with – solving problems for people, working with partners and getting to meet the community."
His focus on supporting victims was evident during a visit following a burglary in Stainton.
When he discovered a blind resident felt unsafe and uncertain about identifying police officers, he worked with the force to introduce braille on warrant cards, an idea now set to be rolled out more widely.
He also wrote a Visual Impairment Protocol which has been shared with chief officers.
Recently, A/Sgt Hall used civil orders under the Anti-Social Behaviour, Crime and Policing Act to secure the closure of two nuisance premises, the first such orders issued in the Westmorland and Furness area.
Ed Russell, chair of Cumbria Police Federation, said: "Phil works brilliantly with our partners and communities to solve the problems that really matter to them.
"His determination to bring the anti-social behaviour injunction breaches to court gave victims and communities confidence in our robust policing approach, and he's always going that step further to make improvements to working practices.
"He's a worthy winner of this award."
A/Sgt Hall described the award as a surprise.
He said: "It just came out of the blue."
The Cumbria Police Federation Recognition Awards, in association with Axon, will take place on Wednesday, June 25.
Additional sponsors include The Cumbria Police Group Insurance Scheme, Slater & Gordon, Uniform Mortgages, and others.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
2 hours ago
- Yahoo
Man said 'get the police' after pulling out 'gun' at Cardiff Central railway station
An erratic and paranoid man took out an imitation firearm and pointed it at the sky at a busy railway station before he was heard saying: "You better get the police before I harm someone." When he was arrested by police at his home, a further imitation weapon was discovered. Benjamin Stockham, 45, approached two security guards on the concourse of Cardiff Central railway station on July 3 last year in a distressed state. He told the two men he "needed protection" and asked them to phone the police. A sentencing hearing at Cardiff Crown Court heard the guards believed the defendant was intoxicated as a result of his "erratic and paranoid" manner. For the latest court reports sign up to our crime newsletter. READ MORE: City centre road taped off after 'disorder' leaves four people in hospital READ MORE: Welsh city centre named as the worst in the UK - but locals disagree He told the men a county lines drug gang had taken over his home and that he and his partner needed to escape to a place of safety. Prosecutor Abigail Jackson said Stockham was taken to a private room and the police were called, but when he was put on the phone the defendant became aggressive and left the room. He was then seen walking back onto the station concourse on CCTV, and was heard saying: "If they hurt my girlfriend I'm going to kill them." At that stage, Stockham took out the firearm which had the appearance of a "semi-automatic pistol" from the waistband of his trousers. The defendant was then seen to cock the gun and point it to the sky. A homeless person nearby heard Stockham say: "You better get the police before I harm someone, I have a gun." He was then seen to walk in the direction of the Principality Stadium but when the police arrived at the scene they were unable to locate him. Stockham, of West Lee, Riverside, Cardiff, was arrested at his home in the early hours of the morning. A search of the house resulted in the discovery of two imitation firearms, which were both found to be BB guns, but it could not be determined which weapon had been taken to the station. The defendant later pleaded guilty to two counts of possessing imitation firearms with intent to cause fear of violence. The court heard he has 10 previous convictions, for offences including common assault and threatening to destroy or damage property. In mitigation, Nick Gedge said his client had been trying to seek help for problems surrounding drugs and alcohol, and has attempted to rebuild his life. Sentencing, Judge Paul Hobson described the offences as "disturbing behaviour". Stockham was sentenced to eight months imprisonment suspended for 18 months. He was also made subject to a rehabilitation activity requirement for 15 days and ordered to carry out 150 hours unpaid work. Get daily breaking news updates on your phone by joining our WhatsApp community here. We occasionally treat members to special offers, promotions and ads from us and our partners. See our Privacy Notice
Yahoo
2 hours ago
- Yahoo
Outrage at ‘sickening' anti-feminist flyers left on cars at train station
OUTRAGE has been sparked after anti-feminist flyers have been left on cars parked at a train station in Stourbridge. A woman, who did not wish to be named, recalled returning to her car that she parked at Stourbridge Junction Railway Station's overspill car park on Wednesday (July 30), to find a leaflet on the windscreen that read 'just say no to feminism, justice for men and boys.' The woman, from Stourport, has been returning from a trip to Birmingham with her 15-year-old daughter and was left feeling 'sick and worried' about the nature of the flyers. She said: 'We found flyers under each windscreen, including our own, and we turned one over to see that it was a call to end feminism and to get justice for men and boys. 'I felt sick and am worried as to what this person meant by 'justice'.' In response to the flyers, a West Midlands Railway spokesperson said: 'We have been made aware of reports of unsolicited flyering occurring in the station car park at Stourbridge Junction. 'We have a zero-tolerance approach to discriminatory speech and behaviour and will monitor the situation closely.' A spokesperson for Transport for West Midlands added: 'No unauthorised printed material is allowed at our park and ride sites – including flyers placed on cars. 'Staff will stop anyone they see distributing unauthorised material, and persistent offenders could be prosecuted.' The leaflets included the name and email address of the person responsible for distributing them, and they were contacted for comment. The flyers referenced an organisation called Justice for Men and Boys (J4MB) – a controversial group, that was previously considered a political party until April 2023, that is based on the belief that feminism is 'toxic' and 'relentlessly seeks the further privileging of women and girls, regardless of the consequences', at the disadvantage to men. Although he was not involved with the distribution of the flyers, Mike Buchanan, the leader of J4MB, said he was 'delighted' someone posted them. He rejected that the message on the flyers could in any way be seen as threatening or concerning, calling such claims 'fatuous, pathetic and hysterical.' When asked for a comment, Mr Buchanan said: 'Feminism is a demonstrably evil ideology and people should reject it.' The mum who spotted the flyer on her car said she is 'horrified' at the thought of how many people have been exposed to and bought into the group's message since the leaflets were distributed. She continued: 'I am sure I am not the only woman who has seen these leaflets and felt sickened and worried by them.'
Yahoo
3 hours ago
- Yahoo
Men jailed over boat chase cocaine plot
Four men have been jailed for conspiring to smuggle about £18m worth of cocaine into the UK after being chased by police in a boat off Cornwall. Scott Johnson, Terry Willis, Michael May and Edwin Tabora Baca were all sentenced at Truro Crown Court on Friday. Johnston and Tabora Baca were caught by police running away on a beach having disembarked from a boat laden with drugs after being chased for 28 miles, while May and Willis were arrested elsewhere on the Cornish coast waiting to transport the drugs. Judge James Adkin said the cocaine was destined for the streets of London and Essex and had the "potential for grave societal harm". He said: "This was an international conspiracy to smuggle a large quantity of cocaine into the UK via a smuggling operation into the South West." Johnson, 37 from Havant in Hampshire was sentenced to 24 years in prison, and Willis, 44 from Chelmsford in Essex to 21 years and eight months. May, 47, from Kelveden Hatch in Essex received a sentence of 19 years, with Tabora Baca, 32, a Colombian from Honduras of no fixed abode getting 17 years and 7 months, and a deportation order. Three other men Alex Fowlie, 35, from Chichester in Sussex, Bobbie Pearce, 29, of Brentwood, Essex and Peter Williams, 43, from Havant will be sentenced at a later date. More news stories for Cornwall Listen to the latest news for Cornwall The court heard a South American cargo ship had dumped 20 water-tight bales of cocaine into the sea, fitted with GPS tracking devices to help the gang find and retrieve them. The group had only been able to locate 11 of the bales, with Border Force recovering six of those - estimated to have a wholesale value of £10.2m. Three of the men had been pursued at sea for about an hour by officers before they attempted to run away after going aground on Gwynver Beach near Sennen on 13 September 2024. Police later tracked down other members of the group using CCTV and phone records. Barry Vinall, senior investigating officer with the National Crime Agency, said the investigation was "highly complex", but the the sentences sent a "clear message to anyone considering getting involved" in smuggling. He said witnesses who saw the boat and beach chase described it as like "something out of movie scene". "These are substantial sentences for four men who didn't care about the misery cocaine causes, they just wanted to make a profit. "Cocaine is one of the most harmful illegal drugs in the UK, linked to thousands of deaths and fuelling violent crime that wrecks communities and lives." May and Johnston had denied the charge but were convicted after a trial at Truro Crown Court in June. The other men admitted conspiracy to import Class A drugs. Willis also admitted money laundering and possessing a revolver and live ammunition, which were found in a rucksack in his bedroom cupboard. The judge said two organised crime groups were involved - one in the South West to retrieve the drugs, and the other in Essex where the cocaine would have been cut and sold on to street dealers. Follow BBC Cornwall on X, Facebook and Instagram. Send your story ideas to spotlight@ More on this story Two men guilty of cocaine smuggling plot into UK Total cocaine smuggling haul worth more than £10m Men jailed over £100m cocaine smuggling plot Related internet links Truro Crown Court
