While Healthcare Group have been supporting BLE for 20 years, two doctors have been working with law enforcement for much longer. Dr Nick King has been helping BLE for 40 years, and Dr Mark Downing for nearly 30. 

"It is with a mixture of sadness and relief that the Partners of Healthcare Group step down after 20 years from the contract to provide forensic medical services to Bailiwick Law Enforcement,” said Dr Downing. 

“We will miss the support and friendliness of the officers who we have worked with during this time and the diverse challenges of providing this service. 

"From assessing detainees in custody, to attending sudden and unexpected deaths, dealing with the internal concealment of illegally imported drugs and providing a forensic sexual assault service for complainants and suspects, we have been kept busy while at the same time working full-time as GPs. 

"A lot of the calls are out of hours, at weekends, in the middle of the night or in the middle of a busy GP surgery. This is what we will not miss. Our most important contribution, however, has been helping to ensure the safety of detainees in custody, which we have been able to do over two decades without blemish. We wish the incoming contractor good luck with the task ahead." 

Pictured top: The Head of Law Enforcement, Ruari Hardy (left), and Police custody inspector Adam Parry-Jones (right) presented Dr Downing (centre) with Border Agency and Police shields as a token of thanks.