A POLICE CONSTABLE who has served in the Force for 20 years and has been awarded with a Long Service and Good Conduct Award said he was “honoured” to have received such an accolade.

PC Jamie Darvill picked up his award on Tuesday night at the Forces Award at the Corn Exchange in Devizes.

He joined the Force in July 1997, and served his first six years of service at Devizes Police Station.

Following this he moved onto the Local Policing Team at Melksham and Salisbury, before moving again to the Neighbourhood Policing Teams at Bradford on Avon and Trowbridge.

With the transformation of Neighbourhood Policing Teams to Community Policing teams, PC Darvill was posted to Warminster where he remains today.

PC Darvill, said: “I am honoured and flattered to have got this far, and to have met so many fantastic people and learn from them along the way.

“It is just a tremendous organisation to be part of and I’ve thoroughly enjoyed my time with the police force

“Being a part of the Wiltshire Constabulary and helping people along the way, it is what you sign up for. It is nice to be recognised for all of this.”

He is a trained Counter Terrorism Search Officer, and during his service has been awarded a number of Chief Constable’s Commendations.

In 2002, he received the award for dealing with a man about to hold up a building society in Devizes with an imitation firearm, and again in June this year for pulling a man from a lake.

He also received two awards for performing extended CPR on members of the public, in 2016 and 2017.

Discussing the highlights of his career, PC Darvill, said: “There have been far too many to list, but I have thoroughly enjoyed working on Operation Club.”

He said that Operation Club, which involved dealing with the National theft of Caravans and the prosecution of the extended family team, and working on the proactive drugs team dealing with the supply of controlled substances in Wiltshire as particular highlights.

Chief Constable Mike Veale was full of praise for the officers and members of the public who received awards.

“It gave me the wonderful opportunity, yet again, to recognise and reward the hard work and dedication of our officers, staff, special constables and volunteers,” he said.

“We are a service of people serving the public and it is right we take a moment to support, thank and pay tribute to those who have been given these awards.

“Every day I receive bags of mail from the general public, full of praise for the dedication and meticulous, caring and courageous hard work my officers and staff do, they are truly inspirational.

“This is a timely reminder that I serve with some very talented, brave and outstanding professionals of whom I am, very proud. Thank you or all your efforts to keep Wiltshire safe.”