A POLICE officer who has become a familiar face in Dalton is retiring after 21 years’ service.
Pc Sue Harrison, 50, is well-known for her work in schools in the Dalton area, trying to divert youngsters from vandalism, crime, anti-social behaviour and drugs.
In 1997, she became one of the first West Yorkshire Police officers to be permanently based at a school. She was posted to Rawthorpe High School to work on the Divert programme, giving drugs education and trying to divert pupils away from crime. Pc Harrison stayed on the project for seven years until it ended in 2004 and she went back to policing her beat in Dalton.
She said she was encouraged to engage with schools because of her teaching background – she was a PE teacher in Stocksbridge for eight years before joining West Yorkshire Police.
She said: “I enjoyed the work I did in schools. I organised lots of activities after school and in the holidays. We just wanted to get young people off the streets.”
Pc Harrison, of New Mill, has been based in Huddersfield for all of her 21 years’ service.
She said she will miss aspects of the job.
“I am a familiar face to many people. I have a good relationship with the community, not just the kids, and that’s made a difference.
“I will miss parts of the job but I am sure there’s something out there that I will get enjoyment from. After 21 years, I wanted to do something different.”
