Queen’s New Year’s Honours for top North Wales Police Officer and Flintshire recipients

One of North Wales’ most senior police officers has been named as a recipient of the Queen’s Police Medal (QPM) in Her Majesty The Queen’s New Year Honours list.

Deputy Chief Constable Gareth Pritchard has been recognised for distinguished service following a 30-year career in policing.

On receiving the news, DCC Pritchard said:

“I am extremely humbled to have been honoured in this way. All my service has been with North Wales Police and it is a great privilege to work with terrific people in the Force. Any recognition should also include the fantastic team that I am a part of and I am grateful for all the support I’ve had over my 30 years of policing.”

Raised in Bethesda, on the outskirts of Bangor, DCC Pritchard joined North Wales Police in 1984 and as a Constable he served at Wrexham Town, Corwen and the Traffic Department at Wrexham.

In 1990 he was promoted to Sergeant at Rhyl and worked as a Patrol and Custody Sergeant and then in the Community Policing Team at Rhuddlan.

Between 1994 and 1997 he worked in the Corporate Development Department at Police Headquarters before moving to Flintshire as a Uniform Inspector.

Between 1998 and 2003 he served as a Chief Inspector and Superintendent in the Operational Support Division where he was responsible for armed response vehicles, firearms team, roads policing, the dog section, helicopter and emergency planning.

Between 2003 and 2008 he was the Divisional Commander for the Western Division covering the policing of Anglesey and Gwynedd.

In 2008 he transferred to Police Headquarters and led Operation Quest, a Home Office initiative to improve the quality of service provided by the Force.

Gareth has a Masters Degree in Police Management from Manchester University and is a Fellow of the Chartered Management Institute.

In June 2009, Gareth was appointed Temporary Assistant Chief Constable and after passing the National Strategic Command Course was appointed substantively as the Assistant Chief Constable in June 2010.

Gareth has been Deputy Chief Constable since April 2013 and has responsibility for Professional Standards, Corporate Services and Operational Support Services which includes Firearms, Roads Policing, Emergency Planning and the Force Control Room.

Gareth also holds the Dangerous Dogs and Companion Animals Portfolio for Police in England and Wales and as part of his portfolio, he liaises with both DEFRA and the Welsh Government seeking to improve public protection in this field.

He’s also the National Policing lead for Search and Rescue across England and Wales.

He also leads on the Welsh Language portfolio on behalf of the four welsh police forces.

Chief Constable Mark Polin said:

“On behalf of everybody at North Wales Police, I congratulate Gareth on his well-deserved award.

“He has made a significant and lasting contribution to both policing here in the region and nationally during his many years of exemplary service and it is pleasing to see that this has been appropriately recognised.”

Other notable local recipients of New Year’s Honours include:

MBE Mrs Avril Mary Devaney, Director of Nursing, Cheshire and Wirral Partnership NHS Foundation Trust. For services to Nursing of People with Mental Health Problems. Flintshire

MBE Mrs Lucille Ingman Chair, Leeswood Nightingale House Hospice Fundraising Group. For services to the community and to charity in Leeswood. Flintshire

MBE Mrs Gaynor Jones For voluntary service to Golf and the Development of Women’s Golf in Wales. Flintshire

In Wrexham:

British Empire Medal – Mary Freeman Parry. Trustee, Wrexham Care Association. For services to elderly people in Wrexham.

British Empire Medal – Thomas Delwyn Roberts. For voluntary service to the community in Llangollen, Wrexham.

British Empire Medal – Rosemary Corbett Thomas. District cub scout leader, Llangollen, Wrexham. For services to the scout movement in Llangollen district, Wrexham.

British Empire Medal recipients are entitled to use the letters “BEM” after their names.