A POLICEMAN whose work has been described as exceptional by his force heads the nominations for an awards ceremony which recognises the unheralded work of regular officers.

Sergeant Rob Smith, of Durham Police, who is up for the Community Police Officer of the Year Award at the Jane's Police Review Gala Awards, led two successful Streetsafe initiatives in the Sacriston and Pelton areas of the county.

In six months, he executed ten drug warrants, conducted searches for stolen property which resulted in 37 arrests and carried out more than 1,100 hours of foot patrols.

Michael Banks, Durham Assistant Chief Constable, said: "He is a fine example of a community police officer who seeks to resolve the quality of life issues which can have such an impact on people's lives."

More than 110 officers from 46 police forces will be represented at the awards in London, on Thursday, November 23, and the winners will receive medals and certificates from guests including Home Office Minister Tony McNulty and Crimewatch UK presenter Nick Ross.

Also nominated is a detective who was persuaded to ditch his retirement plans to carry on catching thieves and is now in line for the Lifetime Achievement in Policing Award.

Detective Constable Ray Roberts, of North Yorkshire Police, who is based with Scarborough CID, has helped solve crimes ranging from supermarket robberies to murders.

In the past five years, he has investigated 230 offences and detected 60 per cent of them.

Peter Bagshaw, an Assistant Chief Constable at North Yorkshire Police, said: "DC Roberts' decision not to retire after 30 years in the job last year was the best Christmas present policing in Scarborough could have had."

Other North Yorkshire officers nominated include Whitby-based PC Keith Carrick.

PC Carrick, who is also in the Community Police Officer of the Year category, set up covert operations at spots where cars were repeatedly broken into in the Esk Valley area.

Car crime has since fallen 32 per cent and two arrests have been made.

PC Leigh Plume, based in Harrogate, is nominated for the Student Police Officer of the Year Award, particularly for his work in improving the way mentally ill people are dealt with by police.

In Northumbria, Sergeant Malcolm Wallace is another Comunity Police Officer of the Year nominee.

Since Sgt Wallace took up his post in Wallsend, North Tyneside, youth disorder has fallen by 34 per cent and criminal damage is down by 41 per cent.

He has worked tirelessly with schools to warn young people of the consequences of their behaviour, and hosts surgeries to make their parents aware of similar issues.

Cleveland is represented by PC Stuart Smith, another of the North-East nominees in the Community Police Officer of the Year category.

PC Smith, who patrols Saltburn, in east Cleveland, has been described as "proving his weight in gold" since he began his beat three years ago.

He has campaigned, and succeeded in obtaining, additional CCTV cameras and upgrading existing ones.

PC Smith has also, with the support of local off-licences, set up a restriction banning the sale of alcohol of anyone under 21 on weekend nights, which has led to a notable reduction in anti-social behaviour.

Another Cleveland officer, PC Ricki Mansell, who is based in Hartlepool, has been nominated as Student Police Officer of the Year.

PC Mansell, a former best overall student at Durham Police Training College, has been praised for his outstanding skills.

He has also been cited for the way he builds relationships with people and is described as having no identified weakness or area for improvement