Will Viv win top police honour?

Posted on November 4, 2011

A Neighbourhood police officer serving the Leighton area is on the shortlist for a prestigious national award.

Leighton Buzzard PC Viv Dady has been put forward for community police officer of the year at the Police Review Gala Awards after helping to significantly reduce crime in her area.

As neighbourhood officer for the rural area around Leighton, including Eaton Bray, PC Dady's force says she has been committed to improving the standard of living in the area and reducing crime and anti-social behaviour.

Crime has fallen by 37 per cent in the area over the past 12 months.

Her citation says she was "instrumental" in resolving a challenging anti-social behaviour case involving an alcoholic woman who caused "untold suffering" to her neighbours, with officers being called 142 times over a four-year period.

PC Dady took extensive statements from victims, worked closely with the local housing association and sought to get the woman treatment for her alcoholism. The woman's house was finally repossessed by the housing association.

Chief Con of Beds Police, Alf Hitchcock, said: "The work PC Dady has undertaken with great enthusiasm and determination has greatly benefited our local communities."

Beds Police PCSO Janet Mahoney is also nominated for PCSO of the year at the awards, while recently retired Det Con Anthony Jenkins, from Luton, is up for a lifetime achievement gong.

The nominees will find out if they have won the awards at a ceremony at The London Hilton, in Park Lane this week – a glittering event that will be attended by Home Secretary Theresa May.