Pride of Richard Dixon’s children

23 February 2022

“We are incredibly proud of all Dad’s achievements.  There isn’t a day that goes by that we don’t think of him and miss him.”

These were the words of Daisy and Joe Dixon who, just before Christmas, were presented with certificates marking the 17 years’ service their father, Richard, gave to West Mercia Police by Sarah Cooper, the chair of the Force’s Police Federation branch.

“It was an honour to be able to meet with Daisy and Joe and present them with Richard’s certificate of service. I know that Richard’s death touched many of us, but none more so than his family and closest friends. It is so important that colleagues in need receive the support and care they need when they reach out, and this is something that I will continue to fight for on behalf of our members,” says Sarah.

Joe and Daisy with their Dad's certificates.

Richard served with West Midlands Police from March 1990 and transferred to West Mercia in 1997. He died on 17 October 2017.

Chief Inspector Ed Hancox has paid a heartfelt tribute to his former colleague.

He said: “I first met Richard when I worked at Ludlow Police Station. He was a detective then but, being a small station, he would turn out for everything and anything with the rest of us. His work was meticulous and I often sought him out for advice. 

“Attending an incident with Richard was a pleasure; he would know exactly what to do and how to do it. He would go over and above for victims of crime, ensuring they were well looked after and treated with dignity. He returned to Response policing, but brought with him that wealth of knowledge, a love for policing and a ready sense of humour. Richard became a friend more than a colleague, and one who I looked up to.

“I remember vividly where I was when I heard the news that he’d taken his own life. I was shopping in a supermarket and my boss had called me to tell me, before I heard from anyone else. I was in a state of shock, and continued to be, including at his funeral where I had the honour of being a pallbearer along with other former Ludlow colleagues. A kind colleague placed a pen on Richard’s coffin and noted that a good officer should never be without a pen. It was fitting. I could not imagine the pain that his family were going through. I still miss him.

“More than 20 police officers commit suicide every year in the UK. West Mercia Police lost two colleagues to suicide during 2021. Every time, the devastating impact is felt across the Force, families are shattered forever and nothing can fill that aching void left behind. A lot has changed since 2017, with help and support being readily available and less stigma being attached to mental ill-health. At the same time, there is a great deal still to be done. If anything positive at all can come from Richard’s death, it has to be the realisation that we cannot continue to lose colleagues to suicide, and we should do everything we can to help those in crisis.”