Rochdale PC and volunteer cadet unit recognised with awards

Stephen Watson, Chief Constable of GMP

A local police officer and the Rochdale volunteer police cadet unit have been recognised for their acts of courage, commitment, professional and compassion at the Chief Constable’s annual awards ceremony on Tuesday (23 November).

GMP’s Chief Constable Stephen Watson awarded 15 individuals and teams who throughout the year have gone above and beyond to prevent and reduce crime in Greater Manchester, as well as those who had put victims first and gone the extra mile to support local communities.

This included Rochdale PC Michelle Farmer, who was named Police Officer of the Year for her care and compassion, and the Rochdale volunteer police cadet unit, which won the Police Cadet Team of the Year Award for their proactive attitude and dedication to carrying out charitable activities to help their local community, particularly during the pandemic.

A neighbourhood officer for Castleton for many years, PC Farmer moved to the safeguarding unit earlier this year. During her time as neighbourhood officer, she had supported an elderly lady and her son who was suffering from cancer by cleaning and shopping for them on her rest days as well as securing the woman a place in a care home and assisting the son in accessing hospital treatment.

Alongside GMP’s Chief Constable, Deputy Lieutenant of Greater Manchester, Eamonn O’Neal, presented awards for a total of 16 categories, including an overall winner at the ceremony, which after a cancellation last year due to Covid restrictions, was once again held at the Gorton Monastery.

This year’s overall winner was the Asset and Detention Recovery Unit, who also won the Teamwork Award. In 2020–2021, the team recovered a record breaking £9 million from criminals using the Proceeds of Crime Act (POCA). This is money that it taken out of the hands of criminals and invested into GMP to further tackle organised crime or to fund community projects to improve local areas.