Police and Crime Commissioner for West Yorkshire | WYPCC

Special Constable honoured for Services to his community in Pontefract

7th January 2020

A Special Constable who dedicated his spare time to deterring young Pontefract people from crime has been recognised in the Queen’s New Year’s Honours. 

Alan Studd (53) a retired sergeant from the East and South East NPT, received a British Empire Medal in the recently released 2020 Honours list after being rewarded for services to young people and the community in West Yorkshire.

He will be presented with the award in a ceremony at Barnsley Town Hall and has been invited with his wife to one of the Queen’s summer Garden Parties at Buckingham Palace.

Alan was nominated in particular for his support of the CHOICE project for which he provided a police input for primary schools in the Pontefract area.

CHOICE – Children Have Options, Imagination, Challenge and Experience, is a 30 week programme aimed at teaching children about actions and consequences to help them improve their behaviour and make positive life choices in their teens.

Aside from CHOICE, Alan also ran an annual West Yorkshire Police Battle of the Bands competition for young musicians and was heavily involved in a number of other community projects.

These included the Pontefract Badgers karting club, based at the town’s Raceway karting track.

The club, which was set up by police and partners to teach young people basic mechanics, driving skills and teamwork, experienced real success on the track including reaching the finals of the British Schools Karting Championships.

Alan said the news of his British Empire Medal award had been a hugely pleasant surprise.

He said: “I’m really honoured to have been nominated and receive an award and my partner and I are overjoyed to have been invited to the summer garden party.

“I can honestly say I’ve enjoyed the last ten years more than any other police work I’ve ever done and get real fulfilment from deterring young people from crime.”

Looking to the future, Alan said he was going to be providing training for special constables and would be looking to continue his school and community work.

“I was brought up in South Elmsall and always absolutely loved working in Pontefract,” he said.

People are outspoken and really close knit and passionate about where they live.  It makes you want to make a difference in helping make communities better.”

 Chief Superintendent Mark McManus District Commander of Wakefield Police, said: “We were very pleased indeed to hear Alan had been nominated by partners in the CHOICE project for his community work, and that his dedication has been formally recognised in this year’s New Year’s Honours.

“Alan was an exceptional community officer and we are very pleased to have welcomed him back as a Special Constable so he can keep serving the neighbourhoods he has been dedicated to.”

Mark Burns-Williamson, West Yorkshire’s Police and Crime Commissioner (PCC), said: “A big congratulations to Alan, I’m delighted for him and his family that he has received this very well-deserved British Empire Medal award. I have met him and colleagues a number of times, as well as provided some Safer Communities funding to help with some of the projects he’s been involved with, and his drive and passion for the community is obvious. He has, and really is making a difference to communities and young people in and around the Pontefract area as a Special Constable volunteer. I want to pass on my thanks and best wishes for his future and ongoing endeavours.”

Pictured Special Constable Alan Studd
Special Constable Alan Studd