POLICE COMMUNITY Support Officer Caryl Griffiths has been honoured at this week’s International Association of Women Police awards at Anchorage, in Alaska.

Cardigan-based PCSO Griffiths was presented with the Civilian of the Year Award 2019 for her exemplary conduct which has made an outstanding achievement to support, promote, improve and enhance policing, law enforcement and/or the criminal justice profession.

Each year the IAWP receives hundreds of nominations from across the globe for women in policing have contributed to their local communities.

PCSO Griffiths was presented with her award at a formal luncheon during the IAWP’s 57th Annual Training Conference for her part in the effort to save toddler Kiara Moore, who tragically died when the car she was in rolled into the River Teifi in Cardigan in March, 2018.

PCSO Griffiths dived into the fast-running, freezing cold river to pull Kiara out of the car.

“ I am very honoured and privileged to receive this award in recognition of my actions and the work I do," she said.

"I would like to thank my family and friends, colleagues in Ceredigion, and the community for their support. Most importantly I continue to think of Kiara’s family who sadly lost their little girl.”

She joined the police service having previously been a learning support teacher in a local primary school and has been an operational PCSO for three years and has recently been appointed as a specialist rural crime team officer.

PCSO Griffiths has a natural affiliation to the rural community having been brought up on a farm and has fully embraced her new role, which was a newly-created position within Dyfed Powys Police.

Her work includes crime prevention, information sharing and intelligence gathering working in partnership with the rural community. In her relatively short time as a PCSO, Caryl has been responsible for piloting a Rural Facebook group for the whole force and securing forensic marking equipment for the launch of ‘Farm watch’ crime prevention schemes.

These initiatives have been a big success helping to build trust and confidence within the rural and farming communities. Due to their success these initiatives have been implemented across the entire Dyfed Powys policing area.

Dyfed Powys Police had cause for double celebration as fellow Ceredigion officer PC Jessica Hanley picked up the bravery award for her role in rescuing guests from a hotel fire at Aberystwyth promenade in July last year.

IAWP President Deborah Friedl, “For the past 104 years, IAWP has promoted the role of women in policing. IAWP champions change to enable women to play their full part in delivering an inclusive service to their local communities. Without our annual recognition programme many phenomenal women and men would go unrecognised for their efforts”.