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Force Intelligence and Specialist Operations

[image: Detective Chief Superintendent Brendan O'Dowda] Detective Chief Superintendent Brendan O'Dowda

Detective Chief Superintendent Brendan O’Dowda is 46 years old and lives with his family in Kidlington, Oxfordshire. He has been the Head of Force Intelligence and Specialist Operations since April 2011. Prior to this he was the Commander for Oxford City and the Basic Command Unit (BCU) Commander for Oxfordshire.

Brendan joined Thames Valley Police as a 16-year-old Cadet in 1982 and was based at Reading. He has worked at nearly every police station in Oxfordshire and has held a number of key positions within the organisation - Sergeant on the Force Surveillance Team, Detective Inspector at Banbury, Detective Chief Inspector/Superintendent at Milton Keynes and Head of Performance Review at Force Headquarters in Kidlington.

He has received a number of Chief Constable and Judges’ commendations during his 28 year service - three of note were for: securing the conviction of a team of dangerous and violent armed robbers attacking secluded post offices; for leading a team of detectives who targeted 12 heroin dealers in Banbury, and for saving the life of a four-year-old girl at the scene of a traffic accident.