A committed officer from Cumbria Police’s Special Constabulary has been recognised at a national award ceremony which celebrates outstanding contributions to volunteering in policing.
Special Sergeant Lee Greives was presented with the Special Constabulary Individual Award at the Lord Ferrers Awards, which were held on 13 October.
The individual award marks Lee’s incredible commitment to his voluntary role within policing.
Lee joined Cumbria’s Special Constabulary in 2007 and worked his way up to Special Chief Inspector before leaving Cumbria due to his job where he transferred to the Special Constabulary within the British Transport Police as a Special Superintendent.
During his time at the British Transport Police Lee, alongside colleagues, modernised the Constabulary by introducing a new performance monitoring regime which saw vast improvement in Special Constabulary duty hours.
When work brought Lee back to Cumbria in 2023, Lee transferred back to his home force. Lee transferred back as a Special Sergeant and assisted with the delivery of the Welfare Hub within Carlisle City Centre focusing on reducing Violence Against Women and Girl (VAWG) offences, funded by Cumbria’s Police, Fire and Crime Commissioner, Peter McCall via the Safety of Women at Night (SWaN) Fund and launched in April 2022. Co-ordinating a team of other Specials and volunteers, Lee has spent a considerable time building key stakeholder relationships.
Special Sergeant Lee Grieves said: “I am delighted to have been awarded this honour, particularly as I am well aware of the fantastic voluntary work done in policing by people in Cumbria and throughout the UK.
“Attending the ceremony, I was able to find about more about the inspirational work of other nominees.
“The reason I joined as a Special Constable was to make a positive difference to people in Cumbria.
“This ambition remains and I’m fortunate to have worked with some incredible people throughout my career within policing.”
Temporary Assistant Chief Constable Dave Stalker, Cumbria Constabulary, said:“We are absolutely delighted for Lee’s very well-deserved award.
“Lee’s work both within Cumbria and elsewhere in the country is exemplary and to be nominated and win such a prestigious award is testament to the commitment Lee has shown throughout his career to date.”
The Special Constabulary is a voluntary body, whose officers form a vital part of the police family, working alongside their regular colleagues to police the communities of Cumbria. Specials perform a variety of police duties to support regular officers with the day-to-day policing of Cumbria.
Special constables hold the same powers as regular police officers and work alongside them to prevent and detect crime. In Cumbria, the force has 45 special constables.
Special Constabulary recruitment is now open in Cumbria. The force is on the lookout for people who like Lee, want to make a difference to communities across the county.
T/ACC Stalker added: “The work the Special Constabulary is invaluable for the force to protect people and communities.
“If you are looking to volunteer your time and interested in helping provide an outstanding police service in our county, then please take a look at our current recruitment opportunity.”
Cumbria’s Police, Fire and Crime Commissioner, Peter McCall, said: “I am delighted that Lee has rightly been recognised and will receive this award for his outstanding work, dedication and exceptional service.
“Lee is a dedicated and valued colleague within Cumbria Constabulary and I would like to offer my congratulations to him on this national award.
“Cumbria Police Officers do a fantastic job. Our volunteers are at the heart of our communities and selflessly making a positive impact in their local area.
“Lee is an inspirational character and a great example for us all. I would encourage anyone who is interested in volunteering to visit the Cumbria Police website and find out more about the role – it is incredibly rewarding, makes a real and positive difference and it fits around the individual’s schedule.
“I offer Lee my very warm congratulations , to Lee, his contribution to policing the county is very much appreciated.”
For more information on the Special Constabulary and how to apply, please visit: About the specials | Cumbria Police.