Kent Police staff member wins national crime-fighting award

A Business Development Manager has been named winner of a prestigious national award.

Rob Foster, who joined the force in 2002, was honoured at the third annual Skills for Justice - Inspire Justice Awards for his contribution to improving the handling of 999 calls across the county.

Rob is Kent Police’s representative for the National Contact Management and a key member of a number of working groups.

As a result of Rob’s work, Kent has gone from 43rd in the national Beating Crime Plan league table to 1st for its 999 response times.

Congratulating Rob on his award win Detective Superintendent Alice Ames, Head of Crime and Incident Response at Kent Police, said:

'I am delighted that the excellent innovation Rob has led within the Kent Police Force Control Room has been recognised and he has received this award. 'We believe that Rob has excelled in enhancing the service the public receives and he continues to strive to make improvements not just in Kent but also nationally. 'Rob is an excellent member of the team, and we are extremely proud of his outstanding professionalism and dedication.'

Accepting his prize at an award ceremony held in London, Rob said:

'Really pleased, very grateful. I think this award represents a really busy and important year not just for me but Kent Police and the force control room in general. 'We've been on a massive journey, it’s been a big team effort and we've gone from pretty much the bottom of the league table to the top, which is fantastic. 'This is fantastic for us individually as a command, but more importantly the impact that this has on the public if you're in Kent means that if you call 999 and ask for the police, you know you're going to get answered really quickly.'

The Inspire Justice Awards is the UK’s only awards programme dedicated to recognising the achievements of the entire justice sector. Organised by Skills for Justice, the awards are supported by BT, PeoplePlus, UNISON, Midlands Partnership University NHS Foundation Trust, HM Courts & Tribunals Service and SFJ Awards. To find out more visit the Skills for Justice website.