The Police Federation National Detective Forum (PFNDF) is delighted to announce that the Detective Investigation of the Year award for 2025 was presented to joint winners Dorset Police Major Crime Investigations Team and West Yorkshire Police Homicide Team on day two of the PFEW Annual Conference.

This year’s award, sponsored by Quick Mortgages, recognised two outstanding, complex investigations which together exemplify exceptional investigative skill, dogged persistence, meticulous case building and the highest professional standards.

Operation Lion — Dorset Police Major Crime Investigation Team 

Operation Lion was the Dorset MCIT response to the fatal stabbing of Amie Gray and the attempted murder of Leanne Miles on Bournemouth beach in May 2024.

Working as a small, dedicated team under exceptionally intense public and media scrutiny, Dorset investigators executed a comprehensive multi‑strand inquiry that included large‑scale scene preservation and searches, extensive CCTV and financial enquiries, complex digital investigations, expert forensic and gait analysis, and the management of significant disclosure demands.

The team’s work established a coherent pattern of premeditation and travel by the offender, secured key witness identifications and digital evidence, and sustained a tightly prepared case which led to the conviction of Nasen Saadi for murder and attempted murder and a subsequent minimum term of 40 years’ imprisonment.

The investigation involved hundreds of witness statements, substantial documentary disclosure and careful courtroom preparation completed within stringent timeframes.

The prosecuting counsel and others highlighted the exemplary professionalism and thoroughness of the Dorset team throughout the investigation and trial.

Operation Geneva — West Yorkshire Police Homicide Team 

Operation Geneva represents a long‑running, meticulous almost 20-year pursuit of justice in the murder of PC Sharon Beshenivsky during the 2005 Universal Express robbery in Bradford.

Over nearly two decades, West Yorkshire detectives rebuilt and re‑examined lines of enquiry, developed international investigative relationships, and pursued complex financial and intelligence leads that ultimately located and secured the arrest and extradition of the principal organiser, Piran Ditta Khan.

The subsequent extradition, multi‑year legal process and one of the largest disclosure exercises undertaken required painstaking case management, international co‑operation and sensitive witness handling.

The trial at Leeds Crown Court in 2024 resulted in a conviction and a life sentence with a minimum term of 40 years.

The investigative team’s determination, strategic case rebuilding and excellence in evidence presentation were commended by the trial judge and prosecuting counsel and recognised by regional policing awards. This week marks 20 years since her murder.

By awarding the Detective Investigation of the Year jointly to Operation Lion (Dorset MCIT) and Operation Geneva (West Yorkshire), the PFNDF acknowledges two different but equally exemplary models of outstanding detective work: a rapid, high‑pressure major crime response that delivered swift and conclusive justice in Dorset, and a prolonged, strategically patient, internationally‑oriented investigation that secured accountability many years after the offending in West Yorkshire.

Both investigations demonstrate the critical importance of forensic rigour, collaborative working across agencies and forces, meticulous disclosure management, and the sustained commitment of detectives and support staff to victims and their families.

The awards were presented at the Police Federation Annual Conference by Ben Hudson, PFNDF Chair. Thank you to all nominators and participating forces for highlighting these cases and for supporting the forum’s aim to recognise the dedication and professionalism of detectives across the country.

Finally, thank you to the sponsors of the award, Quick Mortgages.

For further information about the awards or the presentations at conference, please contact communications@polfed.org.