A POLICE Community Support Officer whose efforts have tackled crime in Canford Heath has won the top prize in the Dorset Justice Awards.

Philip Cowlishaw received the Outstanding Achievement Award for 2007 after judges heard how his knowledge of the community has led to dozens of arrests, several Antisocial Behaviour Orders and the eviction of anti-social families.

The award was one of 20 presented in a recent ceremony at the Dorford Centre in Dorchester.

After receiving the award, PCSO Cowlishaw said: "I feel honoured to have been presented with this award.

"However, I must say that I have only been doing my job, and it is a job that I have really enjoyed doing for the past two-and-a-half years."

Rod Brummitt, chairman of the Dorset Criminal Justice Board, presented awards to groups and individuals, including PC Andy Malloch, a Dorset Police family liaison officer.

PC Malloch has been caring for Dorothy Dunn and her family since her son, Jonathan, was killed in a car crash on Holes Bay Road in Poole in 2005.

Mrs Dunn nominated him for the award after reading about it in the Daily Echo and said: "I cannot explain how important PC Andy Malloch has been to me over the past two years.

"He was always at the end of a telephone and would come to my house any time I needed him. He also had to put up with my arguing and screaming about all matters during this difficult time."

The award categories and winners were:

  • Outstanding achievement in caring for victims - PC Andy Malloch and Margaret Terrey
  • Outstanding achievement in caring for witnesses - Marilyn Croker and Bella Pitkin
  • Outstanding contribution to tackling youth crime - Guy Nicholas and the Wimborne Safer Neighbourhood Team and Safer Schools and Community Team
  • Outstanding project implementation - Julie Anne Jones and Dorset Police Conditional Cautioning
  • Outstanding commitment to diversity - Dorchester prison PE department with the Ridgeway Centre and Police Liaison Officers for the Deaf (Plod)
  • Outstanding contribution to working with offenders - Elizabeth Kannangara and the Drug Strategy Team at Dorchester Prison
  • Outstanding contribution to engaging local communities - Philip Cowlishaw and and Park District Pact panel
  • Outstanding contibution to a criminal justice agency, Brian Vousden and Jonathan Kingdon and Nicola Hempsall
  • Partnership of the year - prison dialogue, Dorchester prison
  • Volunteer of the year, Sandra Briney
  • Long service awards, Phil James and Les Bamford.