Warwickshire PC is nominated for national CBO of the Year Award

On Thursday 17 November, Warwickshire's PC Stephen Timms will be travelling to a Gala Awards Ceremony dinner in London to find out whether he has won the prestigious national Jane's Police Review Community Beat Officer of the Year Award 2005.

The Award recognises the outstanding contribution made by hardworking CBO's like PC Timms and the judges will be looking closely at officers' personal skills, local initiatives and local working relationships to find the top CBO in England and Wales.

Chief Constable John Burbeck who will be accompanying Stephen to the event said

"Stephen has been chosen to represent Warwickshire because of the tremendous contribution he has made to local community policing in the 15 years he has been a CBO in Warwickshire. It's a fabulous achievement to be nominated and we wish him well on the evening."

Stephen has always worked for Warwickshire Police and first joined in 1975 as a PC on the beat in Rugby. He stayed there for six years until he transferred to Alcester in 1981 initially as an Area Officer before attaining the position of CBO in 1992.

PC Stephen Timms said

"I really enjoy meeting people and working within the community. It's an opportunity to get involved in issues that concern people and do something positive about them.

"As part of my role I liase with local schools to get to know the children and build a rapport which helps us in our day to day work. As part of this work, we run annual football and netball tournaments for 26 local junior and senior schools. Last year forty football teams took part. It's become part of the school calendar.

"The football tournament has been running for 18 years and there are children who are now adults who come up and talk to us about playing in the football tournament so it goes a long way.

"We also give talks at schools on stranger danger, drugs, road safety, anything that the schools want us to talk about."

Steve is also an integral part of the Alcester Pub Watch and Neighbourhood Watch schemes, which are seen as benchmarks for the rest of the county. He also works closely with local partner agencies and dialogue with the fire brigade and local housing associations has led to crime prevention and a drop in anti-social behaviour.

Steve said

"My strength is definitely through getting my face and name known in the local community. People know me and trust me and feel able to come and talk to me.

"As for the future, I'm hoping to carry on for at least a few more years. In fact I retired on 7 November this year after 30 years service and I just had to rejoin. I enjoy my job and still want to serve the community to the best of my ability for the years to come."

Stephen added

"On the 17th, I'll find out if I've won or not. I'm one of 43 CBO's who have been nominated across England and Wales. Even if I don't win I feel very proud to have got this far. "

The winner will receive a £3000 travel bursary to study community policing in another country.