News

Protecting the protectors: An inside look into the service supporting the frontline of Dyfed-Powys Police

Published

5 years ago

May 18, 2020

POLICE officers give their all to protect their communities – running towards danger as others run away, supporting victims and families in their darkest hours, and seeing unimaginable scenes.

But who is there for the protectors when they need back-up?

As part of Mental Health Awareness Week, Dyfed-Powys Police is sharing an insight into a previously unseen side of the force – the work the counselling service carries out in guiding officers and staff through their own struggles.

From officers painstakingly combing crime scenes for vital evidence, and investigators trawling through thousands of images on digital devices, to colleagues balancing the pressure between work and home life, Counsellor Samantha Davies and a team of 13 others around the force are there to offer guidance and support.

And Samantha explained the service is often most needed when officers least expect it.

“We often see officers who have got 20 or 30 years’ experience and don’t understand why an incident has affected them,” she said.

“Say you have an officer who has dealt with atrocities for 30-plus years, and suddenly they find themselves crying over something small. They think they’ve gone mad.

“Of course they haven’t – it’s the weight of what they’ve dealt with over the course of their career.

“It usually goes that they say they’ve dealt with worse things, they’ve seen worse things, and they don’t understand why this particular incident has bothered them.

“We work closely with them to find the trigger. It might be something in their past that they haven’t dealt with, there might be similarities with this job, or this latest incident is simply the straw that breaks the camel’s back.”

While there are formal mechanisms in place to support officers who have dealt with traumatic incidents – being the first on scene at a murder, a sudden death, or a fatal collision, for example – the need for the counselling team might come from wider impacts of the job.

The challenges of dealing with a long term investigation, months spent in exposed conditions looking for evidence, or long night shifts guarding scenes of crime to ensure evidence isn’t lost can take their toll.

As part of her role, Samantha ensures she is readily available to officers working in difficult conditions – visiting investigation sites regularly to offer support.

“It’s not always the things they’ve seen – it can be problems at home, or the pressure of being away from home for weeks on end,” she said.

“One of the biggest things we see in the counselling room is guilt. We help officers to work through this, and give them the tools to help themselves.

“With the ongoing operation in Carmarthen, before the COVID-19 restrictions were put in place, I was making sure I was on site twice a week, every week, with the force chaplain and our in-house Occupational Health Specialist team so they could see we were there if they needed us,” she said.

“Being on a site day in day out isn’t easy – if we can be there for a chat in the canteen, help clear the plates away, then officers get to know what we can offer, and are more likely to get in touch if they do need support.

“They might not need us during that particular investigation – it might be months or years down the line – but by meeting us at that time, they know we’re here.”

While Samantha sometimes faces reluctance from officers in accepting that they need a counselling session, she is able to strip away layers of bravado from those saving face from their colleagues.

“You do get a bit of banter between some officers – particularly when we carry out specialist unit reviews,” she said. “They’ll be in the waiting room making jokes about it, but when they come in, it changes.

“They might be worried that their line manager has to know they’ve had a session, or that I could take their firearms license away, for example, but that’s not what I’m here for. Once they realise what we’re about – that we’re not candles and whale music – they start to open up about things.

Nearly a year into her position at Dyfed-Powys Police, Samantha is realising a career dream stemming from her childhood, growing up in a policing family.

“My dad was an officer for 30 years,” she said. “When I was young, he used to tell me lots of gory stories, which I loved, and they gave me an insight and understanding into what they face.

“While he told me what he’d seen, he would never tell my mum. She didn’t work for the force, and he didn’t want to burden her with the things he had seen – that’s still true of officers today. They carry the weight of what they have seen and heard on shift, and often have nobody to offload to.

“He fully supported me when I said I wanted to be a counsellor. He was old fashioned, and would say in front of others that people need to pull their socks up, but quietly he would sit with me and say that things had changed since he left the job. They used to go to the pub and talk things through – he knew that didn’t happen anymore, and that people need somewhere to talk.

“I absolutely love my role. When someone says they wouldn’t have got through something without support, it absolutely humbles me. It brings me to tears.”

Community

Former Port Chair Dr Chris Martin Awarded OBE in New Year Honours

Published

14 hours ago

December 31, 2024

Tom Sinclair

DR CHRIS MARTIN, former Chair of the Port of Milford Haven and a proud Pembrokeshire native, has been awarded an OBE in The King’s New Year Honours list for his outstanding contribution to the maritime and ports sector.

Dr Martin’s leadership journey at the Port began in August 2017, following his appointment as Chair by the Secretary of State for Transport.

Prior to this, he had served as Vice Chair for four and a half years, bringing with him a wealth of experience from a successful entrepreneurial career.

Having built and sold pharmacy chains across South West England and Pembrokeshire, he transitioned into leadership roles across healthcare and advisory boards. Between 2009 and 2014, he was the lead Chair for all health organisations in Wales, demonstrating a strong commitment to public service.

During his tenure at the Port of Milford Haven, Dr Martin played a pivotal role in steering the organisation through a significant period of change and diversification.

His strategic vision ensured the Port maintained its position as the UK’s leading energy port and a cornerstone of Pembrokeshire’s economy, supporting thousands of jobs and attracting inward investment.

Beyond the Port, Dr Martin’s dedication to public service extended to a variety of leadership roles.

He served as Deputy Lieutenant, Chair of Life Sciences Hub Wales, Trustee of Marie Curie UK, Governor at Pembrokeshire College, Co-Chair of the Bevan Commission, and Vice Chair of St John Ambulance Cymru.

Each role reflects his deep commitment to improving the lives of people across Wales and beyond.

This recognition is a moment of immense pride for the Port of Milford Haven, Dr Martin, and his family.

Congratulations, Dr Chris Martin, on this well-deserved honour, and thank you for your tireless dedication and service.

Health

Critical incident declared by Welsh Ambulance Service due to demand

Published

22 hours ago

December 31, 2024

Tom Sinclair

A “CRITICAL INCIDENT” was declared by the Welsh Ambulance Service on Monday (Dec 30) evening due to significantly increased demand and extensive handover delays.

The service, which covers more than three million people across Wales, reported over 340 calls waiting to be answered at the time the incident was declared.

More than half of the ambulance vehicles were stuck outside hospitals waiting to hand over patients, resulting in some people waiting “many hours” for an ambulance and delays in answering emergency calls.

***Ambulances outside Withybush Hospital in Haverfordwest (Image: Herald)***

Welsh Conservative Shadow Cabinet Secretary for Health and Social Care, James Evans MS, said: “Another critical incident declared by the Welsh Ambulance Service with over 340 calls waiting, ambulances stuck outside hospitals, and patients waiting hours for care.

“This is not just a winter crisis, it is a symptom of long-term failures in Labour-run Wales. Patients and frontline workers deserve better.

“It’s time for real leadership to fix this problem once and for all.”

The public has been urged to call 999 only in the event of serious emergencies.

The Welsh Ambulance Services University NHS Trust said it had implemented additional measures to ensure services could continue.

Stephen Sheldon, Head of Service, said: “It is very rare that we declare a critical incident, but with significant demand on our service and more than 90 ambulances waiting to hand over patients outside of hospital, our ability to help patients has been impacted.

“Regrettably, this means that some patients will wait longer for an ambulance to arrive and for their calls to be answered.

“For that, we are very sorry because this is not the level of service we want to provide.

“We understand that this is frustrating for patients, but can assure them that we are doing everything we can to relieve the pressure on our service.”

A critical incident is the highest alert level used by the NHS, allowing management to take immediate steps to create capacity.

Sheldon added: “The public can help by only calling 999 in the event of a life-threatening emergency – that’s a cardiac arrest, chest pain, breathing difficulties, loss of consciousness, choking, or catastrophic bleeding.

“If it’s not a life-threatening emergency, then it’s important you use one of the many alternatives to 999, starting with the symptom checkers on our NHS 111 Wales website, as well as your GP, pharmacist, and minor injuries unit.”

Earlier on Monday, Walsall Healthcare NHS Trust, which operates Walsall Manor Hospital, also declared a critical incident due to rising numbers of people needing urgent and emergency hospital care, predominantly for respiratory conditions.

News

Pembrokeshire County Councillor Andrew Edwards resigns suddenly

Published

1 day ago

December 30, 2024

Tom Sinclair

THE CHIEF EXECUTIVE of PembroTHE CHIEF executive of Pembrokeshire County Council, Will Bramble, has released a statement announcing that Cllr Andrew Edwards has resigned for personal reasons. A notice of a casual vacancy will be published today (Dec 30).

The Pembrokeshire Herald contacted Cllr Edwards, who issued the following statement:

“Family matters have made my position as a county councillor untenable.

“I have therefore decided to resign from the council, as I feel unable to carry out my duties to the standard I would wish at this time.

“I would like to extend my heartfelt thanks to all the staff and fellow councillors who have supported me during my tenure.

“I wish the very best to my successor, who I am confident will serve the community with dedication.

“This has not been an easy decision, but I believe it is in the best interests of those I represent.”

Edwards, a barber, has served on the council since May 2022.

In April 2023, the Conservative councillor referred himself to the Public Services Ombudsman following the emergence of a recording in which he appeared to make offensive remarks suggesting all white men should have a black slave. However, it was later suggested that the recording may have been artificially generated using AI to discredit him.