Dedicated detective clinches Investigator of the Year Award

6 December 2023

A West Midlands Police Federation member has received an Investigator of the Year Award after leading a two-year case involving the attempted murder of an innocent teenager who was shot and left paralysed by a local gang member.

Detective Baron Briscoe says he feels ‘privileged and honoured’ having been recognised for his work at this year’s West Midlands Police Excellence Awards.

The 31-year-old has spent the past two years ‘putting together a spider’s web of evidence’ after a 13-year-old boy received life-changing injuries following an unprovoked attack in the Hockley Circus underpass in 2021.

“Over the past two years, my main focus has always been the victim. I will never be able to restore his life to what it was but I was determined to do whatever I could to deliver him some sort of justice,” said Baron.

Award-winner: (Left to right) Award sponsor Steve Grange, detective Baron Briscoe and Rob Simpson (son of Detective Superintendent Barrie Simpson, who the award is named after)

The 13-year-old boy was walking with his friends to get food when he and his friends were chased into the underpass and within seconds, a homemade weapon, known as a slam gun, was fired, hitting the boy in the back and leaving him paralysed from the waist down.

“Those few seconds completely changed his life,” continued Baron, adding: “Although he’s still a child, I’ve watched him as he’s been growing up over the last two years. Listening to him and hearing what he has been through has definitely been emotional at times.”

Baron joined West Midlands Police as a student officer in 2018 and in 2020, having qualified as a regular, he was posted to the criminal investigations department (CID), where he worked as part of the major crime team.

“I knew from the day I left school that I wanted to join the police,” he said.

“But due to the recruitment freeze at the time when I could apply, the next best option was for me to join as a Special. Volunteering only confirmed my dreams of becoming a regular, I knew that I wanted to be an officer full-time.”

Baron was a trainee detective at the time of the incident involving the 13-year-old boy and said it was the first time he had to appear in court and give evidence.

He continued: “There’s no denying that I definitely learnt a lot from my work on that case. It’s been a long two years, full of extended and back-to-back shifts.

“I’ve spent endless hours helping to bring together a web of evidence and filling in the gaps to build a clear picture of what happened that day.

“But I can’t take all the credit. There was a whole team involved in the case and ensuring those responsible were brought to justice. The team consisted of individuals from CID, the organised crime team, the central digital media investigator team, and force intelligence. Together, we managed to build an overwhelming case against them.”

Three men were sentenced to life in prison last year following the attack, and on Friday (24 November), a fourth was jailed.Baron explained: “These men were known gang members. The victim and his group of friends were out getting food and, in the process, happened to cross into their ‘territory’.”

The Investigator of the Year Award is given in memory of Detective Superintendent Barrie Simpson and recognises an individual officer or police staff member who embodies quality investigation through excellent detective work.

Baron ended: “It was a real privilege to have won such an award. I feel extremely honoured.”

West Midlands Fed rep and secretary of the Police Federation National Detectives’ Forum (PFNDF) Jon Nott said Baron ‘is an example of all detectives and investigators within West Midlands’.

“It is a real privilege to have seen the work put into this case and the outcome Baron and the team were able to get for the victim,” added Jon.

“Baron has shown the lengths our detectives and investigators will go to, to ensure that justice can be obtained for victims and the hope that they can bring to make the streets safer for the public.”