Page 20 - WMPF Federation Oct-Nov 2018-flip

Officers’ honours

Outstanding

detectives in line

for national awards

wo West Midlands detectives have been street gang in Birmingham. staff and managing a large reception centre.
Tnominated for national awards. Offences in this investigation included As a result, Mihai Varga was arrested for
DC Shane Saunders, based at attempted murder, firearms conversion, and human trafficking offences.
Birmingham Central police station, has been firearm discharge and at trial the six Officers located a house in Handsworth
nominated for the Detective Recognition defendants were sentenced to a total of 41 where the victims were living, with multiple
Award at the Police Federation’s National years in prison. men sharing rooms and blankets and slept
Detectives’ Forum Awards, while DC Nicholas He was also instrumental in Operation on the floor in shifts. Six victims came
McCullogh, based at Birmingham South Transmission, a team set up to investigate forward to provide evidential accounts of
Police Station, has been put forward for New the huge increase into keyless car thefts. He how they were treated. As a result of the
Trainee Detective of the Year. took he uniformed officers attached to the operation, Varga was charged with human
Shane is based on the Force Priorities team under his wing and guided and advised trafficking offences and remanded in
Team. In his nomination, by colleague and them on how to progress and develop custody as he posed a flight risk.
Federation rep DC Jon Nott, it states: “Shane investigations, as they had very little DS Bebb explains: “The subsequent
is what would be called a proper old school investigation experience. The team jailed investigation was an immense piece of work
detective. more than 50 offenders and recovered he ran almost completely on his own. It
“Throughout the whole time I have hundreds of stolen cars. involved working closely with the Salvation
known him, I have never heard him moan or DC McCullogh has been nominated by Army, Romanian Embassy, Romanian Police,
complain about any work and attacks each his supervisor, Detective Sergeant Dave Bebb. other forces, the Gangmasters and Labour
investigation with determination and His nomination states he has ‘excelled’ Abuse Authority (GLAA) and National Crime
doggedness. while being the OIC for two major Agency. He faced huge difficulties managing
“His knowledge and experience is almost investigations while still a trainee disclosure issues with the materials held by
second-to-none and he is always willing to investigator. all of these groups and tracing a fraudulent
share and pass this on to detectives younger One of these incidents was a modern-day operation to launder the money made.
in service or with less investigative slavery - where a Romanian victim came to These continued right through the trial
experience. police and said he had been brought in to where the difficulties of looking after
“As the number of officers and detectives the country by another man with the vulnerable witnesses and tracing a number
has continually decreased throughout the promise of work. and getting them back from Romania were
last few years this has not had a detrimental The victim told how they were housed in overcome.
effect on Shane. In fact, it has caused the squalid conditions and worked through an “As a direct result of his efforts during the
opposite to happen. He has set about his agency in a pork scratchings factory for less trial, Mihai Varga changed his plea to guilty
investigations with a dogged, determined than £2 an hour. Nick co-ordinated an and was sentenced to five years
mind-set, doing his upmost to provide an approach with the National Crime Agency, imprisonment. We believe this is the Force’s
exceptional service to the public and Gangmasters and Labour Abuse Authority, first conviction for human trafficking offences
ensuring offenders are brought to justice. and the Department of Work and Pensions. in relation to economic exploitation. Other
“He quietly gets on with his workload This led to him running an enforcement suspects are facing prosecution for gang
even though this is ever-increasing, often day with the execution of six warrants across master licensing offences.”
staying on duty after his scheduled finish two force areas and involved the co- Nick also led an investigation into a
time and changing shifts at short notice to ordination and briefing of more than 100 gunpoint abduction in Winson Green,
be able to complete overt and covert
enquiries. Throughout the whole time I have known
“He is constantly praised by senior
Shane has also helped to secure lengthy “
him, I have never heard him moan or
officers and counsel alike for the knowledge
of his cases and exceptional quality of his complain about any work and attacks each
files.”
investigation with determination and
prison sentences for numerous criminals - doggedness.
the most recent of these being Operation “
Glimmer, an investigation into an urban
20 federation October/November 2018 www.polfed.org/westmids