Rural Crime Team Sgt Awarded Queen’s Police Medal In Birthday Honours List

A long-serving North Wales Police officer has been awarded the Queen’s Police Medal in the Queen’s Birthday Honours List. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Sergeant Rob Taylor, of North Wales Police’ Rural Crime Team is receiving the award for his distinguished service to the public. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Hailing from Connah’s Quay, Rob Taylor joined North Wales Police in 1986. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

During a 30 year career he has served in the Roads Policing Department and the Control Room. In 1992 when the Force launched its very own helicopter he joined the team, which also doubled up as an air ambulance where he attended many hundreds of serious and life-saving incidents. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

In 1996 he was promoted to the rank of Sergeant. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

For a period of 10 years Sergeant Taylor served as a negotiator and was also a Critical Incident Debrief Officer, attending Kosovo twice in the year 2000 to assist with war crime investigations. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Prior to taking charge of the North Wales Police Rural Crime Team three years ago, Sgt Taylor was the Force Wildlife Officer for nine years. Over the years he has received many awards for his work, including four national awards from the WWF (World Wide Fund for Nature) which included the prestigious ‘Lifetime Achievement’ award for services to wildlife crime investigations in 2015. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

The Rural Crime Team has seen an 86% decrease in wildlife offence reports over the past eight years. The team have built up a strong network and are followed closely by UK forces as well as police in Australia and New Zealand. There have also been further reductions in reported farm crime. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

On hearing he was to be honoured with the QPM Sergeant Taylor said: “I am absolutely honoured, yet humbled, to receive this award. Finishing my career with such an excellent team and working for such a forward thinking police force is such a pleasure, and I also accept this award on their behalf.” ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Assistant Chief Constable Richard Debicki said: “On behalf of the Chief Officer Team I want to pass on my wholehearted congratulations to Sgt Rob Taylor on his magnificent achievement. He has been a hardworking and dedicated officer who has been committed to serving his community for 30 years. He is an exemplary officer and has done an incredible amount to support and keep rural communities safe. This is a fitting and prestigious honour and I am delighted for him.” ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

The Queen’s Police Medal (QPM) is awarded to police officers in the United Kingdom and Commonwealth of Nations, for gallantry or distinguished service. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​