Police officers and staff from the Metropolitan Police Service have been recognised in HM The King’s first official Birthday Honours List, marking their services to policing,
Commissioner Sir Mark Rowley said: “I am delighted that so many dedicated Met officers and staff have been recognised by His Majesty the King in his Birthday Honours.
“Each and every one of them should be incredibly proud of their wonderful achievements and the service they have delivered for Londoners.”
The recipients are:
Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE) for their services to policing:
Police Staff John Sennet, Metropolitan Police Operations
Richard Auty, former inspector, Roads & Transport Policing
British Empire Medal (BEM):
Police Sergeant Dan Ford, Roads & Transport Policing
King’s Police Media (KPM):
Police Constable Redouane Haddouch, South West Command Unit
Police Constable Mark Porter, Specialist Operations
Andrew Nimmo, former detective sergeant Specialist Crime South
Jo Edwards, former Superintendent
Member of the Royal Victorian Order (MVO):
Detective Inspector Timothy Hewitt, Royalty and Specialist Protection Command
Police Sergeant Simon King, Police Sergeant Royalty and Specialist Protection Command
Police Sergeant Iain Petrie, Royalty and Specialist Protection Command
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John Sennett is regarded as a covert policing subject matter expert. His passion and drive have put him at the forefront of reform. He has provided support to over 1,650 covert operations, resulting in 5,000 convictions, the seizure of 12 tons of drugs, 250 firearms, 22,000 weapons and £25m in cash, and ensured that hundreds of children have been protected from sexual predators online. John’s drive and expertise has made him pivotal in advancing tactics across UK and international policing.
John Sennett said: “I am extremely privileged and honoured to receive this award.”
Richard Auty was instrumental in introducing 3D laser scanning technology to police forensic collision investigation. The technology has assisted families impacted by serious and fatal collision and the courts in their understanding of scenes, and has saved hundreds of hours of road closures and disruption following a serious or fatal collision.
Richard Auty said: “I am deeply honoured and humbled to have received an MBE. This prestigious recognition, signifies the culmination of 30 years of working in this field.
“I would like to express my heartfelt gratitude to those that are responsible for bestowing this honour upon me. Their recognition validates my efforts and motivates me to continue to develop and contribute towards the advancement of this crucial field.
“I am indebted to my mentors, colleagues, and peers who have supported and guided me throughout my career. Their expertise, and collaborative spirit have played an instrumental role in shaping my skills as a forensic collision investigator.
“Finally, I am grateful to the victims and families of collisions whose resilience, trust, and quest for truth and justice continues to motivate me to improve every aspect of my work.”
Police Sergeant Dan Ford has been recognised for the devotion he has shown to The Capel Comets Youth Football Club, which he set up. He has taken the club, which coaches boys and girls of different abilities, to league and cup success. After realising that most local football teams were putting up their prices and being very selective in who they would take on, he created the club with the ethos of ‘football for all’ – bringing together children from various social backgrounds and disabilities.
All the work he puts into the club, which is some 20 hours a week, is done in his own time. Dan has raised £15,000 to equip the club with facilities including goals, kit, training equipment and storage and has taken the club from nothing to success.
Dan Ford said: “I was thrilled to learn that I had been awarded the British Empire Medal. This is an incredible honour which has left me feeling very humbled. I see this as a tribute to everyone involved with Capel Comets Youth Football Club. We will continue to offer football for all as we recognise the benefits of inclusive sports for the children.”
Police Constable Redouane Haddouch has served as an emergency response officer for 26 years. His innate ability to identify people suspected and wanted for crime has resulted in him personally arresting nearly 300 people over the last three-years. PC Haddouch speaks fluent Arabic and takes immense pride in being a visible representation of diversity in policing, using his lived experience to build relationships and gain the trust of communities.
PC Haddouch said: “Alhamdulillah. I am immensely honoured and grateful to be nominated and bestowed with this award. I want to thank my family, both over here and in Morocco for all their support.
“I would also like to thank my current peers and supervisors who continue to welcome and support me in this profession that I love and enjoy. I am also grateful to my colleagues and mentors, without whom I would not get this prestigious award.”
Police Constable Mark Porter has been recognised for his exceptional contribution to the development of police Maritime Counter Terrorism (MCT) capabilities and is the preeminent expert in this area. He is committed to collaborative working and ensuring the lessons learned from major incidents are acted upon. He is a modest, engaging, conscientious and well-liked character – and a true ambassador for policing.
Former Detective Sergeant Andrew Nimmo was one of the most dedicated, decorated and successful detectives working on homicide investigation teams in the Met. Andrew worked within homicide investigation for nearly 20 years, during which time he was involved in over 100 murder cases.
Andrew used his expertise to mentor new members of staff and encourage detectives across the MPS to consider homicide investigation as a career path, in particular those from minority backgrounds. He was integral to the success of the numerous highly challenging cases he worked on over two decades, and a shining beacon to his peers in his dedication to investigating serious crime and protecting the public from dangerous offenders.
Jo Edwards has been recognised for her contribution to public order policing in London over a 30-year police service where Jo was one of the most respected public order officers in the Met. Jo was the senior command lead in many challenging and large-scale events, including Notting hill Carnival, her late Majesty the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee in 2012 and the funerals of former Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher and Sir David Amess. Jo is also a strong advocate and role model for gender equality in public order policing, mentoring and supporting women in what is often perceived as a traditionally male dominated environment.
Jo Edwards said “I am deeply honoured and humbled to be awarded the King’s Police Medal following a thirty-year career in the Met which I absolutely adored.
“I would like to pay tribute to the friends, colleagues and teams I worked with, and to the deeply committed men and women of the MPS who work so hard, in testing times, to keep the communities of London safe”.
Detective Inspector Timothy Hewitt said: “I am absolutely delighted and honoured that as a team, Iain Petrie, Simon King and I have been awarded an honour in the Royal Victorian Order. I am grateful to all those who have supported me throughout my career, and in particular to my family.”
Simon King said: “I am truly humbled to have received this award. I have served on Royalty and Specialist Protection for 14 years and have been immensely privileged to have worked closely with the senior members of the Royal Family. Protecting the Royal Family is not down to one person. The success of each protection operation is achieved by teamwork with the most professional officers, who bring all the various skills and experience into the team. Together we have risen to the security challenges of the day-to-day business as well as inward and outbound State Visits, Jubilees, Weddings and the events which led to the Coronation.
“I would also like to say a huge thank you to my family, as my role within RaSP has had a huge impact on them and without their support I could not have achieved all that I have.”
