WESTERN BUREAU — Seven of the nine area level awardees vying for the LASCO/Jamaica Constabulary Force Police Officer of the Year 2003 trophy were honoured, Tuesday, at a ceremony at the Holiday Inn Sunspree Resort in Montego Bay.

The honourees, who were selected from police area divisions islandwide, are:

* Sergeant Robert Taylor from Area Four;

* Corporal Judith Pownall, Area Five;

* Inspector Melvin Dennis, Area One;

* Detective Lauren Campbell, criminal investigations branch;

* Corporal Pollyanna Brown-Mullings, Area Two;

* Detective Sergeant Paul Bernard, Area Three; and

* Sergeant Paul Belvett from Mobile Reserve.

Corporal Georgia Brown-Hurd, who works from the Office of the Commissioner, and Constable Florizel Thompson of the operations division complete the list of nine. However they were both absent from Tuesday’s ceremony.

Patrick Lawrence, managing director of LASCO Distributors Ltd described the awardees as ‘unsung heroes’ and reaffirmed his company’s support to the Police Officer of the Year programme.

“Because of the outstanding performance of these officers… who continue to work so hard to make this a better country for us all, LASCO would like to publicly reaffirm its commitment to the programme…”, he said.

He also urged Jamaicans to support the police in their many community activities and in the fight against crime.

The Police Officer of The Year programme was launched in 2000, as part of a wider initiative by LASCO, to recognise and reward the inspiring contributions by many members of the JCF.

Selection for the award is based on active involvement in community policing, the display of good skills, establishment and maintenance of good working relationships, professional knowledge of the job and the ability to effectively communicate in both verbal and written form.

Sergeant Nadine Grant-Brown is the 2002 LASCO Police Officer of the Year.