Rural officers win Community Engagement Award

Two police officers who have helped improved relationships within the rural community have been handed a special award.

PC Ric Walker and PCSO Sarah Wilson, who are part of Macclesfield LPU’s Rural Crime Team, were presented with an Achieving Cheshire Excellence (ACE) Award at the Constabulary’s annual awards ceremony.

The ACE Awards are the Constabulary’s highest accolades that can be awarded to an individual or team who has gone that extra mile or demonstrated exceptional commitment to the ‘We’re Here’ pillars of policing in Cheshire. At the ceremony at Wychwood Park in Crewe on Friday, 14 September, Ric and Sarah were presented with the Community Engagement Award, sponsored by the Office of the Police and Crime Commissioner for Cheshire, for embracing their role as dedicated rural officers, setting some exemplary standards.

This has resulted in some outstanding results, both in relation to the detection and disruption of crime and the rebuilding of the rural communities’ confidence in policing. Together they have as a team, and on occasion individually, pulled together an operation to deter and prevent the theft of livestock, targeted the illegal dumping of household and business waste, targeted the anti-social use of off road motorbikes and run a joint operation to clamp down on livestock and plant machinery thefts.

After receiving the award Ric said: “We were both really shocked when we found out we’d won. We just love what we do and love helping people in the communities we serve. To get recognition is a topping on the cake.

Sarah added: “Because we love our job and we do it every day we didn’t expect to win an award. It’s fantastic to be recognised and we just want to carry on the work we’ve been doing for rural communities in Macclesfield.”

Acting Chief Constable Janette McCormick said: “It always gives me immense pride to see the continued commitment and dedication our officers and staff have to protecting the public of Cheshire. We see fantastic work across the county every day, and the ACE Awards are a chance to celebrate some of this work and hear the inspirational stories which have led to officers and staff being nominated for an award. I would like to personally congratulate those who have won an award this year, as well as all those who were nominated by their colleagues. These awards are a great way of recognising individuals or teams who have gone that extra mile, giving them the recognition they undoubtedly deserve for their service to the Constabulary and the communities of Cheshire.”

David Keane, Police and Crime Commissioner for Cheshire, added: “A huge congratulations to all of the outstanding officers, staff and volunteers that have won an award or been nominated at this year’s ACE Awards. Their dedication, hard work and commitment to protecting local residents ensures that Cheshire remains one of the safest places in the country to live, work and visit.

More pictures from the event can be found and downloaded on Cheshire Police’s Flick page https://www.flickr.com/photos/cheshirepolice/albums/72157699852210521

Cheshire Constabulary’s ACE Awards is a fully sponsored event. This year’s sponsors were SAAB, Blast! Films, Dell, The Office of the Police and Crime Commissioner for Cheshire and the Cheshire Police Federation.

Below is the full list of winners from this year’s ACE Awards:

• Lifetime Achievement Award – Derek Gardener
• Community Engagement (sponsored by the Office of the Police and Crime Commissioner) – PC Ric Walker and PC Sarah Wilson
• Services to the Public (sponsored by Blast! Films) – PCSO Julie Malpeli
• Working in Partnership (sponsored by Dell EMC) – Detective Constable Dave Thomason and Consultant Forensic Psychologist Dan Price-Jones
• Creativity and Innovation (sponsored by SAAB) – Robbi Unwin
• Inspirational Leadership – Detective Sergeant Mark Naylor
• Volunteer of the Year – Karolina Kardas
• Special Constable of the Year – Dan Glassey
• PCSO of the Year – PCSO Chris Carr
• Police Staff of the Year – Flick Goldspink
• Police Officer of the Year (sponsored by Cheshire Police Federation) – DC Leanne Brundrett
• Team of the Year – Crewe Beat Initiative Team