An investigator, who has spent the past five years investigating some of the most harrowing crimes imaginable, has been named the Police Federation National Detective’s Forum Detective of the Year.
Detective Constable Jayne Jones, of the Metropolitan Police’s Child Abuse Investigation Team, has been recognised for her outstanding work on three recent cases, including one that saw a paedophile jailed for 21 years last year for the sexual abuse of young boys.
Colleagues describe Jayne as deeply respected and widely admired. In her role as acting sergeant, she recently supervised and guided officers who have brought charges for serious offences including child rape and abuse. And she was integral in obtaining a conviction this year in which the defendant pleaded guilty to multiple counts of child rape.
Jayne has served as a police officer for 21 years, 16 of them in public protection. Based in Holborn, her nomination highlighted her empathy, meticulous attention to detail and commitment to victims, describing her as a source of “mentorship, resilience and the utmost compassion in an extremely challenging role”.
A colleague says: “DC Jayne Jones is one of the best detectives I have ever had the pleasure of working with. Her dedication to child abuse investigation is unparalleled and is everything you would expect from a truly exceptional officer. All the officers within the team, from constable to superintendent, are in awe of her selfless dedication to keeping the children of London safe.”
It is praise like this which makes her role feel appreciated, albeit while making her blush, Jayne says.
“Winning Detective of the Year shows appreciation for the hard work I’ve put in, I guess. I am part of a great team - it is not just me. But it means that we have made a difference to someone’s life, which is very important. And if you work hard and put people first, it is nice to be recognised.”
She says winning the award is “welcome thanks” but admits the praise can make her uncomfortable. “It’s a bit embarrassing to be nominated for an award like this. You don’t always recognise yourself.”
And it is important to note that her successes come on the back of an excellent crew, Jayne says, and that teamwork drives her forward.
“I work with a lot of really good, capable detectives. I know my weaknesses – sometimes I struggle with the tech stuff, and people help me with that. So this is also about the great people I work with.”
Asked what drives her, Jayne said: “I love meeting people, hearing their stories and finding out about their lives. I love investigating. The devil is in the detail, and I like scratching the surface, finding everything there is to find and really engaging in people’s lives so I can help them.”
Jayne has completed a coaching apprenticeship qualification (level 5) in partnership with digital learning agency ACCIPIO, a qualification to mentor her peers and less experienced colleagues in their initial detective pathways.
But the work can take its toll. Child sex abuse investigation is among the most gruelling work in policing. It exposes officers daily to the darkest parts of human behaviour, often involving long, emotionally charged cases and distressing material.
“You have to care. If the job doesn’t affect you, if you can’t feel empathy or feel that you have to help, then maybe you can’t do the job. My main incentive, and that of most of my colleagues, is that we care deeply about these children, their outcomes, and their futures.
“We care about their families and our communities. You can only have people in this role who really care,” Jayne says.
“Of course there are particular cases that are very emotional and can be triggering. But the good thing is that if we do a proper job, there’s a good outcome at the end. Even if the process is difficult, you know you’re making a difference to someone’s life.”
Even if sometimes - due to survivor confidentiality - successful convictions and sentences cannot always be celebrated in public.
In one recent conviction, Detective Chief Inspector Sarb Kaur, who led the investigation team, said: “Officers showed true determination in securing justice on behalf of the victims. I’d like to thank them for their compassion and dedication. They are a credit to the Met.”
For Jayne, the Police Federation National Detective’s Forum award is as much about recognition for the wider profession as for herself. “I don’t think the public always understand what the police, social workers and other partners have to deal with. It can be gruelling work. Some of it is totally unpalatable, and a lot of it you don’t hear about because cases are anonymous.
“This is about people, teamwork, and the victims who have had the faith to report what’s happened and put their trust in you. You’ve got to listen deeply and read between the lines.”
Jayne says that achieving justice for victims makes all the hard work and sacrifice worthwhile.
“Some investigations are really lengthy and you get very invested in them. You get to know the families quite well in a professional sense. So when the jury comes back with a guilty verdict, it’s a really big deal. It can be emotional. It can be life-changing for the victim and their family. If you’ve done it properly, you’ve literally changed their lives, and potentially saved one, because trauma can have devastating effects.
“That influence is powerful, and it has to be used properly. I hope I do that every day,” she adds.
