(Image: SARAH CALDECOTT/NORTHERN ECHO)
Growing up on Yorkshire council estates, Chief Inspector Kevin Lacks-Kelly developed a compassion for animals and a passion for protecting wildlife.
He began thinking about protecting animals caught up in organised crime after joining North Yorkshire Police.
Lacks-Kelly, who is the outgoing head of the UK National Wildlife Crime Unit (NWCU), said: "I used to always bring home stray dogs and goldfish from the fair to look after when I was young.
"I guess I've always had an affinity with animals."
He has spent six years overhauling the unit.
Early in his career, Kevin was determined to tackle wildlife crime and raise its profile alongside other policing priorities (Image: SARAH CALDECOTT/NORTHERN ECHO)
Now at the top of Britain’s wildlife-crime fight, Kevin began on the beat in Selby, North Yorkshire, where he admits he had a "rocky" start.
"I always used to be catching people responsible for badger baiting and hare coursing, and my superiors maybe weren't best pleased I wasn't catching burglars," he said.
"But I was seeing the impact these wildlife crimes were having on the community, and it was devastating."
Chief Insp Kevin Lacks-Kelly with several of his awards (Image: SARAH CALDECOTT/NORTHERN ECHO)
Kevin rose through the ranks and showed how wildlife crime can be linked to organised crime.
A pivotal case began when Kevin used a day off to target suspected hare coursers, with the arrests advancing a major organised-crime investigation.
46-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) (Image: SARAH CALDECOTT/NORTHERN ECHO)
He added: "Some days, it felt like a thankless task arresting people for wildlife crime and having to let them go or they get a fine in court.
"But progress was made, and my work within the UK National Wildlife Crime Unit has been overhauling the way we look at wildlife crime and showing that it can be linked to some of the worst organised crime across the UK and the world.
"I've had to work on rural and wildlife crime on my days off alongside other policing work; it has been tough, but it's worth it."
One of Kevin's awards from Homeland Security for his part in a global policing operation (Image: SARAH CALDECOTT/NORTHERN ECHO)
After starting with North Yorkshire Police, the 46-year-old transferred to Northumbria Police before joining the NWCU, where he works with police forces all across the UK and internationally, which sees him travel across the globe on some of the most high-profile cases.
Kevin reached the peak of his career in 2021, when he became head of the UK National Wildlife Crime Unit and was told to turn it around in three months.
Nine months later, the unit was working with Homeland Security and international organisations on high-profile cases.
Most recently, Kevin has been working on a case about a gang that oversaw an online sadist community that paid money for videos showing monkeys being tortured and killed.
Kevin will step down as NWCU head in 2027 after six years in the role, because he must leave when his term ends.
A 2018 WWF award that Kevin won (Image: SARAH CALDECOTT/NORTHERN ECHO)
But that doesn't mean his work in wildlife and conservation is over.
"I've always been keen to protect wildlife where I can, and whether that's in the police or in another role I choose to take up, let's say what the future holds for me," Kevin added.
"I'm proud that we've managed to change perceptions.
"At least 70 per cent of the cases we work on are linked to organised crime, showing that our work is just as important as any other policing unit."
A previous Animal Hero award (Image: SARAH CALDECOTT/NORTHERN ECHO)
And that work has led to Kevin receiving a national accolade recently: the Wildlife Crime Award by the International Fund for Animal Welfare (IFAW), which he was awarded on Thursday (October 15).
His advice to anyone following in his footsteps is simple: prepare for the job’s demands.
"It's one of the most rewarding jobs, but it's soul-destroying," he said.
"You see the worst that society has to offer. Seeing dead wildlife when you love wildlife yourself is heartbreaking."
An RSPCA policing award Kevin has previously won (Image: SARAH CALDECOTT/NORTHERN ECHO)
He added: "It puts a lot of strain on people.
"Being the head of this unit takes a toll on you because a whole team is looking to you for answers, and having to deal with that, travelling around, being there for my family, it's tough."
In his spare time, he rests and relaxes, setting clear boundaries between work and home life.
He runs marathons and triathlons and hopes to compete in Ironman events next year.
Kevin has been based both at North Yorkshire Police and Northumbria Police (Image: SARAH CALDECOTT/NORTHERN ECHO)
"You need to have an outlet, and my family and fitness are my outlets," said Kevin.
"Having consistency is key, especially when you're out on the road and training and going running is vital, or you get into bad routines."
After being hauled into a chief inspector’s office, Kevin went on to run Britain’s wildlife unit.
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Sharing his advice with aspiring police officers, he said: "If you have a goal or dream of doing something, find a way of achieving it.
"When I was hauled in front of the chief inspector and told to do 'proper policing'.
"I made my future career happen."
From saving fish at the fair to helping stop a monkey-torture ring, Kevin is confident animals and wildlife will always shape his life and career.