South Wales Police and Crime Commissioner awarded Honorary Fellowship at UWTSD Graduation ceremony

South Wales Police and Crime Commissioner, Rt Hon Alun Michael, has today (11 July) received an Honorary Doctorate at the University’s summer graduation ceremonies. 

At today’s ceremony, he was honoured in recognition of his outstanding service to political life and public services in Wales.  Presenting the Rt Hon Alun Michael to the congregation was Iestyn Davies, Pro Vice Chancellor at UWTSD.  He said:

“It’s a privilege to present Rt Hon Alun Michael to this congregation. Alun’s first electoral success came being returned as one of six Labour representatives for Rumney, in what were know at the time as the Welsh District Elections. It was a role that would continue throughout the 1970s, and the 1980s, representing the ward of Trowbridge, until becoming elected as Member of Parliament for Cardiff South and Penarth in 1987.

“Alun served his constituents diligently in Parliament for a further five electoral cycles. In opposition he became the Shadow Home Affairs Minister. Following the New Labour Landslide election of 1997 he then served as a Minister of State for Home Affairs until becoming the Secretary of State for Wales a year later.

“In May 1999, following the first elections to the National Assembly for Wales, he became the First Secretary of Wales.

“Reflected in his politics, being a member of both the Labour and Cooperative parties, is a commitment to building consensus.

“The direction from the ancient text of the Mabinogion ‘A fo ben, bid bont – they who would lead, let them be a bridge’, would summarise Alun’s preferred approach to political and community leadership.

“Writing at the very beginning of Devolution, Alun set out that the “New Politics for a New Millennium” would require a commitment to inclusive and diverse democracy. Only this would be capable of addressing the enduring economic challenges and the emergence of a ‘tidal wave of innovation and technology’ that at the start of the millennium was already transforming the way we work.

“In the year in which the University of Wales together with its further education partners has launch its network of Technical Institutes, in the year 2000 it was Alun that set out, the Welsh Labour policy priority for skills and work based education and training that endures to today.”

Alun Michael became the first Police and Crime Commissioner for South Wales in November 2012. Alun Michael was the Labour and Co-operative Member of Parliament for Cardiff South and Penarth for 25 years from 1987.

Born in Bryngwran on the island of Anglesey, Alun attended Colwyn Bay Grammar School and graduated from the University of Keele in 1966 with a degree in Philosophy and English.

From 1972 he was a youth and community worker in Cardiff for 15 years, focusing on projects involving on young offenders and unemployed young people. He also served as a City Councillor from 1973 to 1989, playing a role in planning, redevelopment and economic development.

After a time as a Shadow Minister for Welsh Affairs, he served as deputy to Tony Blair and then Jack Straw at Home Affairs. Following the 1997 general election he became Deputy Home Secretary with responsibility for police, criminal justice, youth justice and the voluntary sector. In 1998 he then joined the Cabinet as Secretary of State for Wales, before being elected to the National Assembly for Wales and becoming the first First Secretary of Wales. After standing down from the Assembly, he became the first Minister of State for Rural Affairs and subsequently became Minister of State for Industry and the Regions.

After leaving Government in 2006, he became a leading member of the Justice Select Committee, playing a principal role in the Committee’s seminal report on “Justice Reinvestment”. Alun was also a leading member of the Welsh Affairs Select Committee, taking part in major inquiries into the changing landscape of policing, the city riots of 2011 and drugs policy nationally and internationally. He also chaired the UK Internet Governance Forum and chaired a number of major All-Party Groups such as the Parliamentary Internet and Information Technology Forum, Corporate Governance, Somaliland and Somalia, and Civil Society and Volunteering as well as being Deputy Chair of the All-Party Group on Policing.

He was a member of the expert delegation to examine gang-related crime, radicalisation and elected police chiefs in Los Angeles in 2001, and was appointed to the joint committee of both the House of Commons and House of Lords on detention of terrorist suspects.

Alun is the Lead of the APCC Portfolio Group on Citizens in Policing.

On receiving the award, the Rt Hon Alun Michael, added:

“It’s a real privilege to be here as 31 of our new police officers for South Wales receive their degrees and I’d like to congratulate everyone who has received a degree here today.  

“In the spirit of this university’s patron, St David, of having a clear focus on the little things I also want to celebrate a specific Swansea development. This university played a key role in the establishment of the Help Centre - the Help Point that protects the vulnerable in the night-time economy.

“When I was first elected in 2012 there were continual arguments between the chief constable and the health minister about the many hours spent by police officers sitting and waiting for an ambulance to come to provide care for a vulnerable person, while the minister defended the higher priority of attending those needing emergency treatment for a heart attack or a stroke or after a car crash. A nurse seconded to my team suggested a third way - the help point, so now student volunteers respond with a quick wheelchair ride to the care in a portacabin in a car park provided by St John’s Ambulance in an atmosphere of mutual support characterised best by Bronwen Williams who founded the team of student volunteers and by Gerallt Davies, a paramedic and a St John stalwart who sadly died as one of the early victims of the COVID-19 pandemic and after whom the centre is now named.

“Those values of care, mutual support and cooperation in solving problems will be held at the heart of the service of the South Wales Police officers, and I have no doubt those from Gwent as well, who received their degree today. Partnership between South Wales Police and the university fed their hunger for education, for understanding and for constant improvement.  That’s always been a basic characteristic of our best police officers alongside their dedication to public service, their courage and their sense of community. All vital when the police service is under scrutiny when the police service is under scrutiny and criticism like never before.

“So, I thank you for the privilege of being a part of this great day of celebration as our student officers become graduate officers. For the honour you’ve done me today, for the privilege of working with people like Bronwen and Gerallt.  If I may address my final remark to you personally Vice-Chancellor - thank you for the imagination that you brought to your role in expanding horizons as you have promoted the role of the university for its students and for its communities.”

Further Information

Arwel Lloyd

Principal PR and Communications Officer    
Corporate Communications and PR    
Email:  arwel.lloyd@uwtsd.ac.uk    
Phone: 07384 467076