Darren Gore - Custody Officer of the Year
Darren Gore is celebrating after clinching the Custody Officer of the Year title, a prestigious honour recognising outstanding commitment, professionalism, and leadership.
The national honour recognises Darren’s outstanding contribution to custody, particularly his commitment to safety, professionalism and continuous improvement in what is often one of the most complex and high-risk areas of policing.
Selected from more than 20 nominations from forces across the country, the award highlights the impact of his work not just locally, but at a national level.
The award was presented at the National Custody Conference and holds special significance, as it commemorates the life and service of custody sergeant Matt Ratana, who was fatally shot while on duty in 2020.
Supportive words from Matt’s widow were read out before Darren received the award.
“That was incredibly special and completely unexpected,” said 48-year-old Darren, who joined the police when he was coming up to 34. “To receive an award that honours Matt in that way meant a great deal to me.”
Darren initially joined Cambridgeshire Police in 2011 as a Special Constable, serving for almost a year – nearly full-time – while self-employed.
In 2012, he joined the Force as a regular officer. Darren progressed through the ranks and became a response sergeant in Peterborough.
Like many sergeants, he was encouraged to undertake custody training.
“I didn’t put up too much resistance,” he said, adding: “As with anything in policing, you can be posted anywhere, so I decided to make it an opportunity.”
What followed was a role that Darren grew to enjoy and excel in. He spent three years as a custody sergeant, eventually remaining within custody for around four-and-a-half years.
In early 2024, he moved into an acting inspector role, later working as a policy and performance inspector, deputising for the chief inspector and becoming involved in a wide range of force-wide work.
“Custody can sometimes be a forgotten department,” Darren reflected. “But it’s a pivotal part of policing. Everyone who comes through those doors – staff, detainees, solicitors and visitors – deserves to feel safe.”
The fatal shooting of Matt Ratana had a profound impact on Darren’s approach to custody safety.
“It was shocking,” Darren says. “Custody should be one of the safest places in policing. To hear of a police officer losing their life was devastating.”
As a family man with four daughters, the incident resonated deeply: “You can’t help but put yourself in their shoes. Matt kissed his wife goodbye that morning, as he had done countless times before. They both thought he’d be coming home. He never did.”
“Custody should be one of the safest places in policing,” he said. “We have to learn from what happened so it doesn’t happen again.”
Following HMIC and HSE inspections of custody suites, Darren was involved in driving improvements to safety and security.
This included upgrading metal detector wands, reviewing and strengthening search techniques, improving training for new officers, and reinforcing the monitoring and supervision of detainees.
“We have to learn from what happened so it doesn’t happen again,” he says. “I’ve always taken a modest approach – I just try to do any job to the best of my ability. As a custody sergeant, I was well placed to have oversight and help make meaningful changes.”
Although Darren has since moved on from custody and now works within the firearms licensing department, his contribution has not gone unnoticed. He was nominated for the national award by senior colleagues without his knowledge.
“The first I heard was an email from my former chief inspector,” he said. “It took a while to sink in. When I realised how significant the award was, it really hit home.”
Reflecting on the achievement, Darren said the recognition belongs as much to custody teams as it does to him. “The fact I was nominated was an honour in itself. To win highlights the incredible work custody officers do every day across the country.”