WILTSHIRE Police officers were recognised for their dedication and bravery at the annual force awards on Tuesday, including four who have served Salisbury residents.

DC Jeremy Horner was born in Salisbury and has lived and worked here his whole life. He was awarded the Long Service Award for his 20 years with Wiltshire Police - the only force he has ever worked for.

DC Horner joined the force in 1998 as a rural beat officer in Alderbury, later working in the Priority Crime Team in Salisbury and Salisbury CID, where he is still based.

One career highlight was Operation Keels in 2015 which was the investigation into 120 safe burglaries across five counties amounting to over a £1million worth of goods and cash being stolen.

The investigation resulted in three organised crime groups being given combined prison sentences of 34 years.

DC Horner told the Journal: “It’s an absolute honour and privilege to work with Wiltshire Police. It’s a small force and a real sort of family feel.

“It has been a privilege to serve the Salisbury residents for such a long time – here’s to the next 20 years”.

PC Jason Fisher received a Chief Constable’s Commendation after an incident in October where he lifted a woman out of the path of an oncoming train.

He was among officers responding to concerns for the welfare of the woman, who had been walking on the tracks and later collapsed in the path of an oncoming train, and instructed his colleagues to remain safely off the tracks while he rescued her.

DI Paul Franklin was awarded a Judge’s commendation for leading the team responsible for Operation Wainright – the long and complex investigation into Emile Cilliers, who attempted to murder his wife and children.

Cilliers was convicted and jailed for life last year at Winchester Crown Court for attempting to murder his wife by deliberately sabotaging her parachute before a jump in Wiltshire.

And an Outstanding Teamwork award was handed to a team of the Force’s financial and asset investigators, Nigel Lord and two of his colleagues.

Mr Lord and his colleagues worked on Operation Liveoak, an investigation into the large scale production of cannabis within a former nuclear bunker in Chilmark – the largest cannabis factory ever seen in Wiltshire.

He and his other team members were instrumental in providing support and advice to his colleagues and bringing a unified approach to this complex financial investigation. The financial and asset investigation team’s hard work and diligence resulted in a confiscation hearing at Winchester Crown Court on July 19, 2018 which determined that the defendants had benefitted from their crimes by over £2million.

Mr Lord said he was “a little surprised” to hear about the award, but very grateful, adding: “It’s very nice to be recognised.”

He said: “We treat every job with the same enthusiasm. We’re a bit like the cleaners after a party - all the investigation goes ahead and sentencing happens, but our main job starts after that.”