Spen Valley police officers given awards

Mar 20 2009 Huddersfield Daily Examiner

TWO officers from the Spen Valley Neighbourhood Policing Team are to receive awards.

Pc Paul Wood and Pc Chris Birkenshaw have been given Divisional Commander’s Certificates for their work in the community.

Pc Wood was praised for his work in the hunt to find Jess the dog who was stolen from outside a Cleckheaton supermarket.

Jess was later discovered dead in a beck at the Mann Dam on Sunday January 18.

CCTV was released by police at the time and a 25-year-old man was arrested and charged in connection with the incident.

The Community Recognition Panel, made up of councillors, officials and members of the public, said the officer had used his local knowledge to track down the missing dog and make inquiries into what had happened.

Pc Wood said: “A lot of effort has been put into this investigation, not just by me, but by other members of the Neighbourhood Policing Team at Cleckheaton and I am pleased this has been recognised not just by the police but by members of the public and their representatives.