Top honour for Joe

SUSSEX Chief Constable Joe Edwards has been awarded a Queen's Police Medal in the 2007 New Year's Honours.

Joe Edwards became Chief Constable of Sussex in February last year, having served as Deputy Chief Constable since 2002. He joined Hampshire Constabulary as a PC in 1980, where he rose through the ranks to Chief Superintendent. He was divisional commander at Havant from 1994 to 1997.

He moved to Essex on promotion to Assistant Chief Constable in 1999, where he was involved in two high-profile policing operations - the Korean air crash of 1999 and a hi-jacking in 2000 - before moving to Sussex three years later as deputy to Ken Jones, who is now national president of the Association of Chief Police Officers.

Mr Edwards, aged 49, is married with two daughters.

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He said: " I feel honoured but also very fortunate to receive an award for doing a job I have enjoyed so much since the day I joined.

"An award to a Chief Constable is just as much a recognition of the Force they lead. I am grateful to every member of Sussex Police for the great work they do, day in day out, serving their communities and keeping Sussex safe."

Sussex Police Authority chairman Cllr Peter Jones said: "This award recognises both the high standard in which Chief Constable Joe Edwards is held nationally in the police service and also the reputation of Sussex Police as one of the most effective police forces in the country.

"Under Joe's leadership and with the authority's support, Sussex Police is well placed to respond to the challenges of modern policing, in collaboration with our neighbours in Surrey and elsewhere. On behalf of the Authority and the people of Sussex I congratulate Joe on his achievements as Chief Constable and on the award of the QPM."

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