The HM Queen’s Birthday honours list for 2022 honors a wide range of outstanding people, and it’s especially timely this year because it comes just before the Platinum Jubilee celebrations this weekend, which honor an unprecedented 70 years of service to her subjects.
Chief Constable Simon Chesterman (shown left) has nearly 40 years of experience in police, including 23 years with Thames Valley Police before transferring to West Mercia as deputy chief constable. In January 2014, he joined the Civil Nuclear Constabulary (CNC) as deputy chief constable, and on April 1, 2019, he was promoted to chief constable. As chief constable, he is in charge of the 1,600-strong constabulary, the CNC’s operational performance, the Civil Nuclear Police Authority’s accounting officer, and improving, developing, and maintaining effective strategic partnerships with the Civil Nuclear Police Authority (CNPA), site license companies, and the Office for Nuclear Regulation (Civil Nuclear Security), The Home Office and Police Scotland forces, as well as the Ministry of Defence Police, are all involved. He received the Queen’s Police Medal in 2012.
Simon has been the lead for armed policing on the National Police Chiefs Council for nearly 15 years, overseeing national policy and practice.
Supt Tim Needham (shown right) has worked for the Civil Nuclear Constabulary for over 26 years and has previously served in the UK military. He has experience as an operational guns officer and is a Tactical Firearms Commander with a focus on nuclear material transit escort operations. Tim served in operational, intelligence, and corporate headquarters roles during his time in the military, and was the commander of the UK’s Strategic Escort Group, where he oversaw escort missions that included the world’s largest ever foreign shipment and a. N Division’s Divisional Commander is his current position.
Speaking after the announcement Chief Constable Simon Chesterman said: “I am humbled and feel very privileged to have been recognised in Her Majesty’s birthday honours. I would also like to congratulate Tim on his richly deserved QPM.
“I am fortunate to have spent nearly four decades working with so many incredible people across the police service. I have a particular affinity with armed police officers and those that support, train and command them operationally. I am immensely proud of UK armed policing and of the men and women of the Civil Nuclear Constabulary and the vital work we do in keeping critical national infrastructure and the general public safe.”
Supt Tim Needham said: “I was completely shocked and speechless to discover I’d been nominated for a Queens Police Medal – in fact, when I received the initial call from the Home Office informing me of the nomination, I was convinced it was an elaborate prank! Once I discovered It wasn’t a prank it took a long time for the news to sink in and for a few days I was walking around in a bit of a daze.
“This is a fantastic honour for the whole of the CNC and gives recognition at the highest level to the specialist work all our officers and staff do, often quietly and without fanfare, protecting the public by safeguarding nuclear material both within the UK and in transit internationally.
“In my time with the CNC I’ve been fortunate to work with, and learn from, some brilliant and dedicated people, many of whom have become good friends. I’ve had the privilege of working closely with many colleagues from within the CNC as well as colleagues from wider policing, the military, other government agencies and from within the nuclear industry across the UK and overseas in a very interesting and varied career. Receiving this award is a reflection on the hard work of all our officers and staff and also on my family who have supported me while I’ve spent lots of time ‘away with work’.
“I’m truly honoured, humbled, and delighted to receive the QPM. It’s been really difficult keeping the award secret for the last few months and I’m now looking forward to celebrating this great news with family and friends.”
Sir Craig Mackay, interim Chair of the CNPA, said: “I am immensely proud of Simon and Tim, who both thoroughly deserve these prodigious awards. Both have dedicated years of service to keeping us safe and they have both made a real and significant contribution to public protection and the safety and security of the UK. Congratulations to them both.”