Pudsey's ‘Mr Marvel’ named best PCSO in UK (From Bradford Telegraph and Argus)

Police officer honoured for work serving local community and tackling crime

8:00am Saturday 6th November 2010 in Local By Steve Wright

A Pudsey neighbourhood policing officer has beaten rivals from across the UK to be crowned Community Support Officer of the Year.

Mick Cox has been a PCSO for five years and among his achievements was to provide crucial evidence to close down a problematic pub while running the local Pubwatch scheme.

One of his finest successes was to befriend a vulnerable epileptic and alcoholic man who had been plaguing the force with 999 calls. He got the help of other agencies to tackle his problems, accompanied him for treatment in his own time and saved his life by rescuing him when his home caught fire while he slept.

PCSO Cox, 47, has also organised activities to help youths steer clear of crime and fitted extra locks to the home of an elderly couple who had been victims of burglary.

The officer, known on his beat as Mr Marvel, beat 39 nominees to collect the award at the Jane’s Police Review Gala awards.

He said: “I am over the moon. It is nice to be singled out for my work, particularly when there are so many of us doing the same thing in communities across West Yorkshire and the country. The main thing I have learned from this job is that if you treat people with respect you will get the best out of them.”

Chief Superintendent Ian Whitehouse, North West Leeds Police’s divisional commander, said: “Mick richly deserves to be recognised. He typifies the positive qualities that a good neighbourhood policing officer brings to the community.”