GMP Superintendent awarded OBE in Queen’s new year’s honours

Superintendent Umer Khan

Umer Khan is a serving Superintendent with Greater Manchester Police with over 23 years of policing experience, having started as a PC in Rochdale in 1995. He has been awarded an OBE for services to policing in the New Year's Honours list.

During his time in the Force, Umer has worked in districts, CID, The Cheque Fraud and the Commercial Fraud Unit, and HM Customs and Excise Covert Operations, as well as the Force’s Neighbourhoods, Confidence and Equality Team.

While working in districts, Umer helped bring people together in many different ways. Most of note, helping communities in Oldham after the riots in 2011 and working with communities and partners in Rochdale to maintain law, order and cohesion before, during and after 30 demonstrations.

Umer’s passion for uniting communities and encouraging people to celebrate their differences has led him to lead the national #WeStandTogether initiative for the last three years, uniting various organisations and communities under one umbrella and in 2017 Umer helped launch the GM based #WeStandTogether charity dedicated to developing cohesion and tackling hate.

Outside of work, Umer is also an ambassador for countless charities, including Remembering Srebrenica and The Forum for Discussion of Israel and Palestine. He has also undertaken voluntary work in Ethiopia and Pakistan, most recently transforming two villages in Pakistan and has been a community cricket coach for the past ten years with two boys from his coaching team gaining professional cricket contracts.

Superintendent Umer Khan said: “It’s an absolute honour to be awarded an OBE for work that I truly believe in.

“I feel proud and privileged to have the opportunity to serve the people of Greater Manchester, and feel blessed to be able to make a small difference through my work. Community cohesion doesn’t happen by itself - it is a real team effort. I am inspired by our communities and people who adopt the message of unity and inclusion.

"The world is a different place now but it’s even more important than ever that we all come together to celebrate our differences, continue to be a positive voice against hatred and truly come together to tackle discrimination in all its forms.

“My family, particularly my parents, are absolutely delighted and are so proud so I would like to thank them, my GMP colleagues and above all the people of Greater Manchester for all the care and support given to me.”

Chief Constable Ian Hopkins said: “This is an outstanding honour and recognises the huge contribution Umer has made to our communities and to Greater Manchester Police.

"Umer has helped bring people together in many different ways, including introducing the National Reassurance Policing project in Oldham following the riots in 2001 and supporting the partnership response to over 30 far-right demonstrations in Rochdale. His passion for uniting communities has also seen him lead the national #WeStandTogether initiative since it was launched in 2015. This campaign has since been adopted as the UK’s response to countering hate, extremism and terrorism.

“He also makes a valuable contribution to Greater Manchester outside of work and as such, this is a fitting recognition of his dedication and commitment.”