Chief Superintendent Neil Kinrade has served 33 years with South Wales and was first posted to his home town of Caerphilly.
Being based in his local community was a dream come true. Neil explained: “It was a real advantage working the town that I knew so well and really helped me to settle in and learn the trade of ‘Bobbying’. Much of my service as a constable was spent as a uniform Community Constable for the villages of Gelligaer and Bedwas.
“The three years I worked at Bedwas is a period I will always look back on with pride and fondness. There was a very close team of 12 working from the station headed by two inspirational sergeants in Ken Mortimer and Cy Watkins. They had outstanding leadership skills that gave me the drive and motivation to want to be a manager in the service.”
At both Sergeant and Inspector ranks he was seconded to the Force and Regional centres looking primarily after new recruits, another role he found very satisfying. “Seeing young officers join and then go on to become outstanding Police Officers gives you a great sense of satisfaction as a trainer. However attending the ceremony to see many of those recruits you trained receive their long service medals does make you feel a little old!”
Neil has also worked at Senior Management Level at Merthyr, Pontypridd, and Bridgend before moving to his current role. Having commanded many critical and life threatening incidents, one of the best days of his service was policing the Arsenal V Liverpool Cup Final at the Millennium Stadium. He said: “Being a life long Liverpool fan I volunteered to work and was lucky enough to be selected. Standing at the entrance to the players’ tunnel jumping up and down cheering Michael Owen’s winner brought a sharp look from the Match Commander!”
Neil has experienced many highs throughout his service, and also worked through many challenges. He recalled a particularly challenging time at Barry: “It was my last weekend in Barry as a Sergeant and over the period of a weekend my shift dealt with a shooting, a person tragically drowning in Cosmeston Lake and the most brutal murder you can imagine, as well as one of the team being badly injured chasing a burglar. The look on the faces of my colleagues as we shared a cuppa before we went home at the end of the last night shift just epitomised how tough the job can be.”
Neil’s current role is Head of the force Communities and Partnerships Department, one which he has held for six years. Areas of responsibility he currently under his command include Substance Misuse Prevention, Crime Prevention and the Specialist Minorities Support Unit.
When reflecting on recent years, heading the team that implemented Police Community Support Officers and the Neighbourhood Policing Programme across the force, Neil looks back with immense pride: “We now have a PCSO and a Neighbourhood Beat Manager for ever ward across South Wales. It really is going back to the days when I served as a Community Constable and I feel the public is now getting a much better service.”
With 33 years service he feels just as enthusiastic today about policing as the day he stepped out on the beat in Caerphilly. He comments “Our Chief Constable Peter Vaughan has reinforced the values of having Pride, being Positive and Professional for the force and I feel that sums South Wales Police. It truly is a fantastic Police force full of outstanding people.”
He is married to Claudia who is a Constable in the force, Neil added: “There are real advantages to us both being ‘In the job’ but as a constable she always brings her work home so I have to use a ‘time out flag’ at dinner sometimes”.
Keeping the secret for the last six weeks or so has been difficult and he admits he was stunned and a little emotional when he opened the recorded deliver letter telling him he had been awarded the Queens Police Medal.
Chief Constable Peter Vaughan added his personal congratulations too. He said: “This recognition is richly deserved and I send Neil my warmest congratulations. Neil has worked tirelessly with our communities to build cohesion and trust and, using his own unique personal style and influence, has enabled the Force to build lasting relationships with groups who can sometimes be difficult to reach.
“Throughout his service; from his very first days as a beat bobby in his local town, Neil has dedicated himself to being the face of South Wales Police to many people. I know they too will be delighted to see he has been rewarded in such a fitting way along with his many friends and colleagues in the police service.”
