RCIPS recognises outstanding service for 2017
Sabrina Turner, runner-up for Community Spirit award, with Police Officer of the Year PC Christopher Donaldson
(CNS Local Life): PC Christopher Donaldson of the Community Policing Department (CPD) was named Police Officer of the Year at the Outstanding Service Awards the RCIPS held last week at Government House. The awards recognise the efforts of officers who performed exceptionally throughout 2017, as well as support staff and community members who contributed significantly to public safety.
The presentation ceremony, held Thursday 28 June, covered a wide range of categories: diversity, welfare officer, support staff, auxiliary constable, special constable, unit citation, community spirit and police officer, stated an RCIPS press release.
Acting Governor Franz Manderson presented the award to PC Donaldson, the beat officer for Prospect. PC Eugene Myles (CPD) and APS Peter Maragh (Tactical Firearms Unit) tied for runner-up for Police Officer of the Year.
Recognition, in the form of humanitarian awards, was also given to the 62 officers who provided emergency relief to the British Virgin Islands and the Turks and Caicos Islands, during and after those territories were devastated by hurricanes Irma and Maria.
Acting Governor Franz Manderson speaks at the awards ceremony
Manderson delivered a speech to the BVI and TCI contingents of officers and presented their awards to them and other recipients throughout the ceremony.
Deputy Commissioner of Police Anthony Ennis, who spearheaded the planning of the event, spoke about the diversity and welfare awards, and acknowledged the winners: Auxiliary Constable Fabian O’Connor from the CPD (diversity) and Tiffany Rankine from the Scenes of Crime Unit (welfare), along with runners-up PC Donaldson (diversity) and Detective Inspector Kevin Ashworth (welfare). Commissioner of Police Derek Byrne presented those awards.
Deputy Commissioner of Police Kurt Walton described the community spirit and the unit citation awards, and acknowledged the recipients. Winning for community spirit, Alfredo Powery from West Bay had assisted the CPD in clean-up projects by donating his equipment and services to the police on several occasions. The Criminal Investigation Unit earned the unit citation for adaptability and perseverance throughout the year, said the RCIPS.
Sabrina Turner earned runner-up for community spirit for her work with the community officer for the Prospect beat, with the RCIPS noting in the press release, “She has made tremendous crime prevention efforts.” Air operations and joint marine tied for runner-up for the unit citation.
Byrne, in addition to describing the police officer of the year award, spoke about auxiliary officer, support staff and special constable of the year, and acknowledged the winners and runners-up in each category. Manderson presented the awards.
AC Shawn Bazil (Custody Unit) earned Auxiliary Constable of the Year, with AC Fabian O’Connor (CPD) named runner-up. Monique Burton (Process Department) and Wayne Bobb-Semple (IT Department) tied for first place for Support Staff of the Year, with Veronica Cole (Communications Unit) named runner-up. Special Constable of the Year was presented to SC Willian Petit and the runner-up for this category was SC Capt. Arlond Brooks.
In acknowledging all the guests who attended the ceremony, including the acting governor, ministers and heads of departments, the RCIPS also thanked the governor’s office for its help as well as the members of the public who sent nominations for each category, noting the community’s support for the awards was “astonishing”.
Category: Civil Service, Police
