West Mercia cop wins High Sheriff award for work in the community

8 November 2022

A former West Mercia officer admits being honoured for his work in the community by the High Sheriff of Worcestershire was “quite emotional” as he says he accepted the award on behalf of the entire team.

Having worked in the Force for 20 years, Paul Downes was presented the award for his two decades of service in Redditch after being nominated by Inspector Richard Field.

The award recognises the work of individuals, community groups or voluntary organisations, particularly those unsung heroes who go above and beyond to improve the lives of others within the community.

“It was quite emotional to receive the award. After all, you don’t go to work to be recognised but when you hear what you’ve done actually makes a difference, it’s definitely a great feeling,” said Paul.

“Let’s face it, the police are so often criticised, it’s nice to be praised. Of course, I accepted this award on behalf of the entire team at West Mercia. It’s a whole team effort and that’s both current and previous officers.”

After deciding he wanted to change his career, Paul spent three years volunteering as a Special Constable before joining the police in 2002.

“Volunteering as a Special was my way of testing the water and confirming that it’s what I wanted to do,” explained Paul.

“Having completed my training, we were given the option of joining Worcester or Redditch and while everyone else wanted to join Worcester - that meant you couldn’t start until six weeks whereas you could start at Redditch in just two weeks so that made my decision easy. And I’ve been here ever since.”

During his career, Paul has worked in the neighbourhood team, as well as a traffic officer.

“As the ‘local bobby’, I’ve definitely got to know the area,” added Paul. “In fact, I actually met my wife through the job, she is a safeguarding officer at a local high school. So, it’s fair to say the area has got a special place in my heart.”

Paul says that during his time in the Force, he was keen to break down the barriers between the police and communities.

He continued: “Although I was an officer, I don’t judge. I was just a human being who wears a uniform.

“I liked to get myself seen, so people in the community knew who I was. And I was very passionate about working with schools, in the hope of preventing them to be either a victim or an offender.”

After 20 years in the police, Paul said it ‘just felt like the right time’ for him to leave the Force for pastures new.

“For multiple reasons, the time just seemed right to move on. I’d served 20 years and those two decades were great, but it was time for me to retire,” Paul added.

“I still go out into the community now and people see me, say hi and have conversations with me. Being in the police was like having a big family. It’s not just the job, it’s the family that makes your time in the Force so special.”