Awards joy for sergeant

A DUTIFUL bobby in Dalkeith has scooped a prestigious national accolade for his work to improve community relations on his beat.

Sgt Scott Meechan won the Community Police Officer Award 2011 for spearheading a drive to revamp a run-down village hall in Pathhead by engaging the local population to help renovate the building.

The policeman believed that breathing new life into the former community hub could help to reduce antisocial behaviour, which had spiked in recent times

At the 2011 Jane’s Police Review Gala Awards ceremony, Sgt Meechan received an engraved medal and £3000 funding for a bursary trip overseas to study community policing.

Home Secretary Thersea May gave the keynote speech.