A North Yorkshire police chief who spent more than two decades leading the UK's most significant animal abuse investigations and exposing links to serious organised crime is being recognised with an international award.
Forty-six-year-old chief inspector Kevin Lacks-Kelly, the outgoing Head of the UK National Wildlife Crime Unit (NWCU), has been awarded the Wildlife Crime Award by the International Fund for Animal Welfare (IFAW).
Kevin, who lives in Ripon, has helped lead some of the UK's most significant wildlife crimes, including ongoing investigations into a notorious sadistic monkey torture ring.
His work has exposed illegal wildlife trafficking networks, animal fighting operations, online animal abuse communities, and organised criminal groups exploiting wildlife for profit.
Early in his career, Kevin was determined to tackle wildlife crime and raise its profile alongside other policing priorities. He even took it upon himself to spend his own free time investigating offences and building trust with rural communities.
“The reality is that those harming animals are often also harming communities,” said Kevin.
“It became my lifelong mission to show that tackling wildlife crime helps tackle organised crime, protects vulnerable people, and ultimately keeps communities safer. Changing that understanding across policing has probably been the biggest challenge of my career."
While on the beat, he witnessed first-hand the impact that poaching, hare coursing and other brutal crimes had on local communities.
One pivotal moment came when Kevin used a day off to target a group of suspected hare coursers.
The arrests helped advance a major organised crime investigation and transformed perceptions of wildlife crime within policing.
Reflecting on receiving the award, Kevin added: “I read the email, put it down, made a cup of tea, then came back and read it again.
"My first thought was that somebody from the team had been recognised. That's what I spend most of my time doing, celebrating the work of other people.
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"It genuinely took me a couple of reads before it sank in that the award was for me. To have IFAW recognise my contribution was incredibly humbling, and I felt truly grateful."
Kevin will leave the National Wildlife Crime Unit in 2027 after leading a transformation in the UK's response to wildlife crime.
He will receive his award at IFAW's Animal Action Awards ceremony at BAFTA in London on October 15, which will be hosted by Michaela Strachan.
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