CCTV control room supervisor Paul Tabb has been honoured for a second time by Devon and Cornwall police for his work. He is pictured right, with Chief Supt Andy Bickley (centre) and Paul Martin. Paul – who has worked in the city’s CCTV control room for the past 12 years – was presented with a Commander’s Certificate by Plymouth’s most senior police officer, Chief Supt Andy Bickley in a ceremony at Crownhill police station. Retiring head of Plymouth Against Retail Crime (PARC) Paul Martin was also honoured.
The honour comes three years after Paul was awarded a Good Citizenship Award by the force for his help in bringing failed terrorist bomber Nicky Reilly to justice. The Commander’s Certificate is awarded by police as thanks to those people who have worked with the force to tackle crime and Inspector Russ Sharpe praised Paul’s contribution.
“He sits in the background day after day helping us,” said Insp Sharpe.“He’s got a keen eye and his knowledge of individuals in the city centre is fantastic. Because of him we have made numerous arrests.”
In 2010 alone, more than 1,000 suspects were captured on Plymouth’s public space CCTV, including violent attackers, shoplifters, thieves, drink drivers vandals, drug users and those wanted on warrants.During that Paul was part of the CCTV set-up that monitored 400 assaults leading to arrests and helped in the detention of 200 shoplifters, 250 drug users – and helped to find 125 missing people.
Paul said: “Obviously I am extremely proud to have received this award, but I see it as recognition of the whole control room team and the vital job every member of that team does in helping the police tackle crime in Plymouth city centre.I am very fortunate to work with a very well-trained and highly dedicated team of people and we could not achieve the results we have without the contribution of each and every one of them.”
Back in 2009, the Good Citizenship Awards were given to Paul and his son Jason Tabb, a fellow Securi-Guard officer who also worked in the control room at the time, for their work during the inquiry into the failed terrorist bombing of a restaurant in Exeter.Paul and Jason, who still works for Securi-Guard as a Mobile Patrol Officer, spent hours trawling through CCTV footage to account for the movements of Reilly who was behind the attack on the Giraffe restaurant in May 2008.
They were also commended for their alertness and actions which helped identify an associate with Reilly before he left Plymouth for Exeter to carry out the attack.Reilly was sentenced to life in prison for attempted murder and preparing for acts of terrorism after he detonated a home-made bomb inside the restaurant. Visit: www.securi-guard.co.uk.
