Dyfed Powys Police wins Global MSC Security Gordon McLanaghan Award

Global MSC Security has presented Dyfed Powys Police with its Gordon McLanaghan Security Innovation Award, in recognition of an initiative led by the Police and Crime Commissioner, Dafydd Llywelyn, to deliver a centralised CCTV surveillance operation across four counties and 24 towns. The prestigious award is presented annually in memory of Bristol City Council CCTV and Emergency Control Room Manager, Gordon McLanaghan, recognising those who have gone above and beyond to achieve a technical security solution.

The previous CCTV infrastructure across this region in Wales was predominantly owned by the local authorities and town councils. However, in May 2016, the Police and Crime Commissioner pledged to re-invest in a modern surveillance camera infrastructure, to include a central monitoring function to improve the safety throughout the towns and communities within the four counties of Dyfed and Powys. The final stage of the project was completed in September 2019 and to date 149 cameras have been installed across 24 towns. The majority of cameras are wirelessly linked and transmitted to local police stations where images are then transferred across the force network to the Monitoring Suite at police headquarters.

The project has been completed in collaboration with local authorities, the Welsh Government, Harbour Master’s Authority and the National Parks. The Police and Crime Commissioner at Dyfed Powys Police, Dafydd Llywelyn, comments on the success of the project: “There have been numerous criminal investigations, where CCTV evidence has proven critical in the identification, arrest and charge of suspects in serious cases of violence against individuals, burglaries and domestic related violence. The CCTV system, through the dedicated central monitoring function has assisted in the early identification of incidents.”

Managing Director of Global MSC Security, Derek Maltby adds: “There are many standout innovations that other police forces can learn from this project. One of note is the Wide Area Network upgrade, which addresses a major pain point for officers. No longer do they need to travel to a local camera site to burn images to disc, as it is streamed to the Monitoring Suite in the Force Communication Centre. Furthermore, the data can be edited and shared as evidence with criminal justice partners electronically, saving huge amounts of time and resource.” He adds: “This innovative project represents a win, win for the public and the police!”

The award was presented on Monday 11 November during a charity dinner at the Bristol Hotel in Bristol to raise money for The Lily Foundation. Dafydd Llywelyn was presented with the trophy made from Bristol Blue Glass and £1,000 cheque, which he then generously donated to the charity. Derek Maltby said: “I am proud and impressed by the generosity that those working in the security and public safety sectors demonstrate each year. Together in one evening we have raised over £5,400 for The Lily Foundation.”