POLICE officers who have helped improved relationships in the rural community have been handed a special award.

PC Ric Walker and PCSO Sarah Wilson, who are part of Macclesfield LPU’s Rural Crime Team, were presented with an Achieving Cheshire Excellence (ACE) Award at the Constabulary’s annual awards ceremony.

The area covered by the Macclesfield team includes Knutsford, Mobberley, High Legh, Chelford, Wilmslow and Alderley Edge.

The ACE Awards are the Constabulary's highest accolades that can be awarded to an individual or team who has gone that extra mile or demonstrated exceptional commitment to the 'We're Here' pillars of policing in Cheshire.

At the ceremony at Wychwood Park in Crewe Ric and Sarah were presented with the Community Engagement Award, sponsored by the Office of the Police and Crime Commissioner for Cheshire, for embracing their role as dedicated rural officers, setting some exemplary standards.

This has resulted in some outstanding results, both in relation to the detection and disruption of crime and the rebuilding of the rural communities’ confidence in policing.

Together they have as a team, and on occasion individually, pulled together an operation to deter and prevent the theft of livestock, targeted the illegal dumping of household and business waste, targeted the anti-social use of off-road motorbikes and run a joint operation to clamp down on livestock and plant machinery thefts.

Ric said: “We were really shocked when we found out we’d won. We just love what we do and love helping people in the communities we serve. To get recognition is a topping on the cake.”

Sarah said: “Because we love our job and we do it every day we didn’t expect to win an award.

“It’s fantastic to be recognised and we just want to carry on the work we’ve been doing for rural communities in Macclesfield.”

Acting Chief Constable Janette McCormick said: “It always gives me immense pride to see the continued commitment and dedication our officers and staff have to protecting the public of Cheshire.

“We see fantastic work across the county every day, and the ACE Awards are a chance to celebrate some of this work and hear the inspirational stories which have led to officers and staff being nominated for an award.”