11/05/2004

Winners of first ever 'community policing' awards announced

The Police Service of Northern Ireland today announced the winners of its first ever 'Policing with the Community' awards.

The major new scheme, developed by the Police Service in partnership with the Northern Ireland Policing Board, is designed to recognise the endeavour and commitment of officers and staff.

The initiative aims to publicly recognise and reward outstanding problem solving policing in partnership with local communities.

Winners in the five categories were:
  • Community Police Officer of the Year, Reserve Constable Colin Moore
  • Lifetime Achievement Award, Constable Kenneth Craig
  • Staff Member of the Year, Jim McCormick
  • Probationer of the Year, Constable David Knox
  • Partnership Award, Castlereagh District Command Unit
Deputy Chief Constable Paul Leighton said: "This is the inaugural year of the Policing with the Community Awards and today's event gives us a great opportunity to celebrate the commitment of our people, both police and non police staff, to serving and going the extra mile for the community.

"It has also allowed us to showcase achievement in communities right across Northern Ireland. We value the people who work in the Police Service and these awards are an excellent way of rewarding consistently innovative and high standards of work in our local communities."

Professor Desmond Rea, the Chairman of the Northern Ireland Policing Board, who presented the Awards with Chief Constable Hugh Orde, added: "Policing with the Community is a core statutory function of PSNI and its ongoing implementation and development is central to making our communities safer.

"Effective policing is not only about partnership, it is about trust and those we honour today play an essential part in the process of building trust and are a credit to the Police Service and the communities they so diligently serve."

Local District Commanders, in partnership with District Policing Partnerships, made the nominations this year but it is hoped that from next year, local communities will be able to vote for officers and staff who have contributed significantly in their local area.

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