Glens policing scheme scoops top award
Thursday, 4 September 2008
Chief Superintendent Will Kerr, Commander H District, congratulates Inspector Colin Shaw on winning the ‘Most Innovative’ category of the Home Office’s annual Tilley Awards.
A crime prevention scheme based in the Glens of Antrim has won a top award in recognition of innovation in problem solving.
The sheep scanning scheme, implemented by former Moyle police sergeant, Colin Shaw, was victorious in the 'most innovative' category of the annual Tilley Awards, organised by the Home Office.
The multi-agency initiative to provide up to date technology to combat rural crime in North Antrim was set up in response to a surge of sheep thefts in the Moyle district, with 370 animals stolen in 10 incidents over the past three years.
The Moyle area has the highest concentration of sheep in Europe, and figures showed that 25% of the province's sheep thefts were taking place in district.
Colin, together with local farmers, the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development, Farmers' Unions, the Agri Food and Bio Sciences Institute (AFBI), and the Agricultural College and the Datatag Company, created a system whereby sheep were tagged using a retina scanning device, making thefts more difficult.
The scanning process meant the animals were effectively "fingerprinted" and were provided with a biometric identification.
The second strand of the scheme dealt with property marking of trailers, quads and tools, to make them less desirable for thieves.
Since the scheme was implemented, there have been no sheep thefts, trailer, quad or tool thefts, and feedback from the farmers involved has been very positive.
Colin Shaw, who has recently taken up the post of Inspector in Coleraine, told the Chronicle he was very pleased to receive the award, and he paid tribute to those he worked with during the scheme.
He said: "It is good to get recognised for the hard work, and bring recognition to the work of the police and AFBI. It is also important to congratulate the farmers who participated as they are the ones who carried out the scanning, and I am very grateful to those who helped. There was alot of hard work put into the scheme by everyone.
Commenting on the award, Chief Superintendent Will Kerr, Commander for H District said: "To win a national award is a tremendous achievement and I congratulate Inspector Shaw for bringing about such a worthy crime prevention initiative in the Moyle Area.
“It is an excellent example of the good work carried out by my officers, and their desire to make H District a safer place for everyone."
Chairperson of Moyle District Policing Partnership, Councillor Orla Black, extended her congratulations to Inspector Shaw.
She said: "The Glens of Antrim rural crime prevention initiative has been very successful in terms of both tackling rural crime and increasing the public confidence in the police.
"The scheme is being quoted by DARD officials as evidence of best practice, and confidence in the police within the Glens has increased significantly, particularly among the farming community. Having been at the scheme launch I saw first hand just how innovative this initiative actually is.
"It is a remarkable achievement for such an initiative to be given national recognition and I congratulate all those involved in the establishment of the scheme, particularly Inspector Colin Shaw.
“He has always been a proactive police officer and has helped to change the face of policing in the Moyle District. He is to be commended. This recognition is well deserved."
