Essex Police has handed awards to police officers, police staff, Specials and volunteers who have gone the extra mile.
Among the winners, Carole-Anne Porter was named Special Constable of the Year.
Carole-Anne was a Special for 12 years, then volunteered to become one of the first Special trainee detectives in the Serious Crime Directorate’s Major Crime team at Great Dunmow.
She cancelled her Christmas plans last December to help the team investigating the murder of Donald Ralph, 83, in Aldham.
Braintree police community support officer Lorraine Keating received the award for PCSO of the Year award for work to tackle anti-social behaviour.
She helped to secure an indefinite criminal behaviour order against a woman who was targeting elderly and vulnerable people for money, and prioritised the victims, ensuring they were cared for and kept up-to-date.
Detective Chief Inspector Lewis Basford, who leads the Serious Violence Unit, received the Anthony Peel Trophy for commendable achievements in crime reduction presented by Anthony Peel's widow Julia.
During the first pilot in Essex last year, his hotspot policing model to focus patrols in areas of high crime saw violent crime drop by more than 70% and street crime drop by over 30% on patrol days.
The scheme has now been rolled out nationally. He also led a new approach to tackling county lines drugs gangs, to identity and take out gang leaders and dismantle the gangs.
Chief Inspector Nathan Hutchinson received the Innovation of the Year award for his work to secure Home Office funding for new technology and to upskill staff who manage known sex offenders. They are now able to examine more devices at the scene.
Detective Inspector Caroline Williams, who until her retirement worked in the Public Protection Investigations Unit at Harlow to prevent and investigate child and adult sexual exploitation, received the Liam Brigginshaw Award for Outstanding Commitment.
The awards were presented by Chief Constable Ben-Julian Harrington and VIPs.
Mr Harrington said: “It is my chance as Chief Constable to say thank you to everyone and, most importantly, thank their loved ones for their enduring support and patience."
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