PRIME Minister Boris Johnson has praised the work of specialist firearms officers who have facilitated his recent visits to the area.

He wrote a letter to Cleveland Police highlighting the professionalism of the team.

Many of the visits ahead of elections in May were spearheaded by an all-women team of firearms experts.

Assistant Chief Constable Lisa Theaker said: “A lot of planning and preparation goes on behind the scenes to make sure that these visits happen safely for everyone involved.

“The praise from the Prime Minister comes at a time when Cleveland Police is making bold and innovative decisions on how to protect people from harm. We are forming new ways of working to keep families safe from the threat of violence and to protect children from organised crime groups, operating across Teesside and Hartlepool.

“I’m pleased that he has heralded the professionalism of the team, because I see it consistently from our staff who work in this specialist area and it was evident when at the helm of the operational response, which was coordinated in Middlesbrough.”

George Maratty, head of armed policing, working under the banner of the Cleveland and Durham Specialist Operations Unit (CDSOU) said: “It’s not every day that you receive a letter from the Prime Minister so it’s a real boost for the officers who worked consistently on these operations. He’s ‘top trumped’ me now, so I don’t think any of the praise I give to our staff in the future will compare to this correspondence.”