Vote for your local police officers

As Policing with the Community Awards enters the seventh year, members of the public are being invited to nominate in the categories of ‘Police Officer of the Year’ and ‘Neighbourhood Policing Team of the Year’.

Developed by the Police Service in partnership with the Northern Ireland Policing Board, the awards were formally launched last Wednesday (February 10) by Assistant Chief Constable, Will Kerr.

Chief Inspector Ryan Henderson, Ballymena Area Commander said: “We are committed to delivering a personal, professional and protective policing service to the whole community. Few people may be aware of the fact that when a police officer joins the Service they take an ‘Oath of Office’ which is a statement of the individual’s desire to serve everyone.

“This collective resolve to make Northern Ireland a safer place for everyone, is borne out through day to day policing, whether this takes the form of patrolling the streets, tackling anti-social behaviour, working with partners to challenge underage drinking, conducting road policing operations or investigating criminal activity.

“The Policing with the Community Awards provide a channel for the public to recognise and reward outstanding examples of local police working in partnership with local residents and community leaders to find solutions to local issues.”

Encouraging the public to get involved in the nomination process, Chairman of the Board, Barry Gilligan said: “The Community is at the heart of policing in our society and its success is down to effective engagement and partnership working. Right across Northern Ireland police officers, on a daily basis, are demonstrating their commitment to this ethos. Working alongside communities, they are constantly dealing with local concerns and helping to solve the policing issues that affect peoples’ day-to-day quality of life.”