10
May
2014
By Calvin at 09:18 GMT, 12 years ago
How great to see one of our country’s Special Police Constables getting recognised!
This from West Mercia Police....
A member of the Special Constabulary who has served the people of Much Wenlock for more than 40 years has been honoured by the local community.
Special Sergeant Charlie Pearson, of Church Preen, has been granted the freedom of the town.
He was presented with an engraved scroll by the new mayor, Cllr Mary Hill, at a ceremony which took place after ‘mayor making’ at Priory Hall on Thursday night, May 8.
Guests included the Chief Constable of West Mercia, David Shaw, and PCC Bill Longmore as well as area commander Supt James Tozer and Assistant Chief Constable Gareth Morgan.
Although currently an acting inspector based at Church Stretton, Mr Pearson continues to have oversight over Much Wenlock in his new role.
Supt James Tozer, Shropshire area commander, said: "Charlie is a much valued member of the policing community in Shropshire and I am delighted that the community has honoured him in this way.
"It was a very special evening, and I hope that he realises that he is held in high esteem by the police and community alike."
TCPW Comment: Often, when there’s news about people being given ‘the freedom of the town or city or borough’ you often hear people talking about grazing sheep and being able to choose a silk rope if you’re due to be hanged and so on!
A quick check of Wiki will clear all that up! I also found a quote by Philip Whiteman, from the Institute of Local Government Studies at the University of Birmingham, who said that receiving such an Honour is not that dissimilar to the Honours list awarded on behalf of the Queen and is effectively the only way that a local authority can confer honours. It seems that this very old practice is still ongoing in Australia, Canada, Ireland, France, Italy, New Zealand and South Africa. In the US you are given the Key to the City, a more tangible but similarly symbolic honour.
Whatever the history and practice behind all this I think it’s just fantastic that Special Sergeant Charlie Pearson has been publically thanked and honoured for his many years of voluntary policing – good for him!
Source West Mercia Police: http://www.westmercia.police.uk/news/news-articles/special-constable-granted-freedom-of-much-wenlock.html
