Career ends on high with a top award (From This Is Lancashire)

Career ends on high with a top award

9:48am Thursday 23rd February 2012 in News

A DETECTIVE who spent 41 years solving crimes in Bury has been recognised for his decades of service.

Retired Detective Constable Mick Kennedy won the Chief Constable’s Award For Lifetime Achievement at a prestigious ceremony held in Manchester on Friday.

Mr Kennedy, who lives in Greenmount, said: “Receiving the award was an excellent achievement.

“I was with the police for more than 40 years and it’s nice to be recognised in this way.

“It has been a very rewarding end to an excellent 41-year career in the police force.”

Mr Kennedy spent his career with Bury Police in uniform operations, the traffic unit, CID and volume crime teams.

Colleagues described him as a “walking encyclopaedia” for his policing knowledge and he had excellent arrest and detection rates.

He received countless commendation awards and letters of gratitude from members of the public who had received his help.

In 2005, he was commended for helping to arrest more than 500 offenders and detecting 587 burglary offences in a 15-month period.

His dedication was also recognised nationally when he won the lifetime achievement award at the 20th Police Review gala awards in November.

Mr Kennedy retired in July last year, but returned to Bury Police for several months to help investigate the Manchester riots. He is now enjoying his retirement and has no plans to return to the police force.

Also recognised at the ceremony on Friday was PC David Urie, who was highly commended for the Chief Constable’s Award For Brave Officer Of the Year.

He was patrolling alone in the early hours of October 29, 2010, when a passing motorist alerted him to a fire at Best Saver convenience store, in Bury Old Road, Prestwich.

Without thinking of his safety, the father-of-six ran into the building twice and led three people to safety, one of whom had been in a deep sleep.

PC Urie, who is based at Bury police station, had to be persuaded to leave the scene and go to hospital for medical checks when firefighters arrived.