'Close-knit' police team hit by double tragedy take top prize at South Yorkshire Police awards

AN “INFLUENTIAL” police team whose efforts included capturing a driver who raced the wrong way on a motorway through Sheffield and Rotherham has been recognised by colleagues with a top award.

AN “INFLUENTIAL” police team, whose efforts included capturing a driver who raced the wrong way on a motorway through Sheffield and Rotherham, has been recognised by colleagues with a top award.

South Yorkshire Police's roads policing team 4 was named Team of The Year at the Force Awards for “achieving brilliant results, arresting high profile offenders, seizing vehicles, and recovering vast amounts of cash that would have otherwise funded criminality across South Yorkshire".

The event heard that the team, from the Operational Support Unit had “banded together through grief and loss to become one of the most influential and successful teams in the force".

The team of one sergeant, 11 constables and four dog handlers lost two of their colleagues in 2020 – PC Matt Lannie and PC Stephen Jackson, who was known as Jacko.

While on duty responding to assist another officer with a fail to stop, PC Lannie was involved in a collision on his motorcycle and died at the scene.

Tragedy struck again in October 2020 with the loss of PC Jackson to cancer.

Sgt Mark Smith said: “I am extremely proud of the results our team have achieved over the recent years.

"Every month, we attend around 500 incidents, and this year we have had some incredible jobs that have highlighted officers’ dedication.

"As roads policing officers, we’re highly trained in pursuits and a recent pursuit, which the driver went the wrong way down the parkway, is now being used as an example of good practice and being used to train new recruits.

"We are a close-knit team.

"We work together to intercept criminality on the road network, and our results are always a reflection of our joint efforts.

"Our officers’ passion to protect and serve the public is what has kept them going through a difficult period after losing two of our much-loved colleagues, and every day, and every shift, we continue to strive for safer roads and stop those who cause harm to our communities.”