TITAN Protected Persons unit Manager recognised in the Queen's New Year Honours

FOLLOWING the announcement that Kim Considine, from the North West Regional Organised Crime Unit (TITAN), has been awarded an OBE in the Queen's New Year's Honours, Merseyside Police Chief Constable Andy Cooke, who is the national lead for the UK Protected Persons Service, said:- "I have known Kim for 10 years and was privileged to work with her in my capacity as the national Police lead for Protecting Vulnerable People. I can say hand on heart that I have always been astounded by Kim's passion for the job she does and her commitment to protecting vulnerable people and I am delighted that she has received this honour. Since 2004 Kim has played an integral part in developing systems to support vulnerable victims and witnesses. Kim always gives everything she's got to the job and she has always put people first, sometimes missing important family occasions, but throughout her career she has had the full support of her family who fully understood her commitment to helping vulnerable people. I am sure members of the public will also join me in thanking her for her commitment to serving the public in Manchester (she joined Greater Manchester Police in 1976) and the North West (Kim has been an invaluable member of TITAN for the last 3 years)."

Kim Considine, added that:- "I am honoured to have received the OBE in the Queen's New Year's Honours and I'm still pinching myself, because I just can't believe it. I am a Greater Manchester Police employee seconded to Titan, the Northwest Regional Crime Unit and I have had the privilege to have been involved in an area of high risk policing, supporting our most vulnerable and intimidated victims and witnesses since 2004. The work done by the team that I managed has ranged from supporting vulnerable victims and witnesses to career criminals involved in serious organised crime. Our work has enabled many people to escape from the constant and insidious oppression of communities by the criminality and ongoing criminal activity of organised crime groups (OCGs). It has helped them to restart their lives in a safe environment where they can live a normal life. The victims and witnesses are the brave ones. They often have provided evidence against OCG members and this contributes enormously to the disruption and disintegration of the OCGs making the communities a better and safer place for everyone to live in. During my involvement in this this area of business I have had the benefit of working alongside extremely competent and dedicated officers and staff, both locally and nationally. Colleagues from Regional Protected Persons Units, and our associated partners such as National Offender Management Service, have been keen to assist in the development of new and improved methodology for keeping people safer. This work has been totally supported by Chief Constable Andy Cooke, of Merseyside Police, who leads nationally for this exceptionally unusual area of Police business. We have also been supported by the Home Office, the Central Bureau of the National Crime Agency and dedicated lawyers of the Crown Prosecution Service. I consider our collective efforts have made the UK Protected Persons Service more effective and professional for the ultimate benefit of the vulnerable and intimidated victims and witnesses of our communities and I am proud to have been a part of that. My hope is that the business area continues to develop in the direction it has been set, so that it can provide the best possible service to the people and communities of the UK.I have during the whole time been supported by my husband and our 2 children who have been so patient and understanding of my absences and telephone interruptions during what otherwise should have been 'home' time."