Police Community Support Officer Demetrius Georghiou, known as Demi around Rye, was honoured at the Sussex Chief Constable’s Annual Awards last week.
He was made the force’s PSCO of the year for his work, which includes combatting anti-social behaviour in Rye, and was described as being “tenacious in his efforts to make the town a better place.”
The ceremony also heard the officer has “an exceptional attitude, unwavering positivity and a steadfast commitment to duty.”
PCSO Georghiou was one of 16 Sussex Police officers, staff and volunteers who won awards at the East Sussex National on Thursday 27 November.
Sergeant Roger Tomlinson, who nominated Demi, said, “In every task, he demonstrates professionalism, compassion, and a deep sense of responsibility, making a lasting impact on those fortunate enough to work alongside him.”
He described the officer’s work in tackling the “increasing problem of anti-social behaviour in Rye. He spoke with victims and identified a group of suspects, who he spoke to in person and highlighted the repercussions of their behaviour and the wider implications. He got most of them to sign behaviour contracts and the issued problems reduced almost instantly and there were no further reports of ASB linked to this large group.”
Accepting his award, Demi said, “It means the world to me to win this award. Every day brings its own reward, whether it is a small job or a big job. Whether it’s someone smiling because you’ve helped them, or a job where we have all worked together as a team. I go home every day feeling rewarded. To sum it all up, it is a complete privilege.”
Demi, who is based at Battle’s Neighbourhood Policing Team, has also been involved in the launch of DISC, an online neighbourhood watch system. Over the course of a few days, he visited nearly every single business, restaurant, pub and shop in Rye to encourage them to join the scheme.
Chief Constable Jo Shiner said, “The annual awards provide me with the opportunity to say a massive thank you to those people who are out there each day protecting our communities and often putting their lives on the line, while also acknowledging and paying tribute to those who work so hard and quietly behind the scenes to ensure we can keep the public safe.”
Image Credits: Sussex Police .