Event History
The Jane's Police Review Gala Awards recognise the work of largely unsung police officers and staff across the country. Nearly all forces in the UK have nominated officers and staff.
This year there are 168 nominated officers and teams in all five categories - Community Police Officer of the Year, Student Officer of the Year, Lifetime Achievement, Community Support Officer of the Year and Diversity in Action Award. All are invited to the Jane's Police Review awards ceremony in the London Hilton on Park Lane hotel, central London, on Wednesday 28 October 2009.
This year's judges are: Bill Skelly, HM inspector of constabulary in Scotland; Norrie Flowers, chairman of the Scottish Police Federation; Steve Roberts, deputy assistant commissioner at the Met; Cllr Paul Rooney, convenor of the Scottish Police Authorities' conveners forum; Ian Johnston, president of the Superintendents' Association of England and Wales; Colin Menzies, representing ACPO in Scotland; Denis O'Connor, HM Chief Inspector of Constabulary; Peter Neyroud, chief executive of the National Policing Improvement Agency; Rob Garnham, board member of the Association of Police Authorities; Paul McKeever, chairman of the Police Federation of England and Wales; Supt David O'Connor, vice-president of the Association of Scottish Police Superintendents; and Chris Herbert, editor of Jane's Police Review.
The Community Police Officer of the Year Award was established as a national event in 1992, to draw public attention to the very positive work being carried out by community police officers – bobbies on the beat who are not attached to high profile units or squads and who rarely make headlines. The award is designed to emphasise that the traditional British bobby who patrols alone, unarmed and on foot, still has a vital part to play in an increasingly high-tech and results-driven police service. This is now recognised by the service as forces prioritise neighbourhood policing.
Every force in England,Wales, Police Service of Northern Ireland and Scotland are asked to submit nominations. The award is judged on the basis of personal skills, local initiative to combat crime and the officer’s working relationships with their communities. Nominations also require evidence of community support for the officer’s work.
All nominees receive an engraved medal at the award ceremony. The winner receives an engraved gold medal and £3,000 funding for a bursary trip overseas to study community policing in another country.
In 2002, The Student Officer of the Year Award (formely named The Probationer of the Year Award, until 2006) was introduced to recognise outstanding personal skills shown by student officers throughout England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland. The Award is judged on the student officer's personal skills in interacting with the public and their practical policing skills including crime investigation, making an arrest and dealing with incidents.
Judges considered criteria including the ability to solve problems, promise in practical policing skills and excellent interaction with the public. All nominees receive an engraved medal and certificate at the award ceremony. The winner receives an engraved gold medal and £1,000 funding for a bursary trip to Europe to study training in a European force.
All nominees receive an engraved medal at the award ceremony. The winner receives an engraved gold medal and £1,000 funding for a bursary trip to Europe to study training in a European force.
In 2003 Jane’s Police Review introduced a third award category– the Lifetime Achievement in Policing Award - to honour outstanding personal and operational policing skills shown by officers during their thirty-year career with the police service.
Lifetime Achievement in Policing nominees should be in the last year of his or her service and they must be from the rank of constable, sergeant or inspector. They should have remained operational throughout their career, primarily in a response or shift-based capacity, but can also be a specialist officer. The nominee will also have a reputation for excellence in all areas and in the quality of their work. The nominated officer will have a high professional standing in the community.
All nominees receive an engraved medal at the award ceremony. The winner receives an engraved gold medal, a winner’s trophy and a £500 voucher.
The Diversity in Action Award was introduced to the Jane’s Police Review Gala Awards in 2004.
This is a team award to recognise excellent practice in diversity by police forces, leading to successful policing of communities. It will recognise work which encompasses diversity in its widest sense and includes all aspects of equality including gender, race, sexual orientation and disability.
The Diversity in Action Award is supported by the Superintendents’ Association of England and Wales and they will present a cheque for £5,000 to the winning team on the night which can be spent on a research project, a visit to another country to aid learning about a specific community, or to provide base funding for a new community-based project. All nominees will also be awarded with an engraved medal. The award has an operational focus and reflects the success of the force in engaging with local communities. The award can reflect the way a particular incident was handled or a successful conclusion made to an operation. The team can be made up of both police officers and police staff with an operational theme.
This year's judges are: Caryl Nobbs, chairperson, unison's police staff executive; Det Supt Ellie Bird, vice president of the British Association for Women in Policing; Jackie Muller, on behalf of the Scottish Police Federation; Everett Henry, head of equality, diversity and human rights at the National Policing Improvement Agency; Tony Smikle, vice president of the National Black Police Association; Julie Nesbit, on behalf of the Police Federation of England and Wales; Dan Adams, deputy chairman of the Gay Police Association; Jane Stichbury, HM Inspector of Constabulary for the south of England region; Steve Otter, ACPO lead on race and diversity; Scott Westbrook, president of the National Disabled Police Association; Juliet Simmons, ACPO race and diversity staff; Derek Barnett, president-elect of the Superintendents' Association; and Chris Herbert, editor of Jane's Police Review.
Community Support Officer of the Year Award was introduced in 2007 and reflects the changes in community policing. It recognises the important and evolving contribution that PCSOs are making to neighbourhood policing as they provide reassurance to communities. All nominees will be awarded with an engraved medal and the winner of the award will receive an engraved gold medal and a £1,000 bursary to study policing at another force in the UK.