POLICE officers who faced a man with a knife were among those recognised at an awards ceremony.

The Swindon Divisional Commander Awards, which took place at the Steam Museum, yesterday pinpointed those in the force who had made a difference and also members of the public who had gone beyond their public duty.

Bishop of Swindon Lee Stephen Rayfield, who presented the awards said that even today the police were held up by the public to a certain standard and that was something in itself to be proud of.

He said: “People want you folk in the police to be exemplars, people they can say ‘look at the courage these people showed, look at the dedication they showed in their work.’”

The February 18 shift for three officers had been normal when they received the call that a man had a knife in Queens Park.

PC Paul Best from the response team, and PCs Ben Collier and Matt Barnett of the East Sector were some of the first officers to the scene and were confronted by the man who was threatening a woman with the knife.

The officers managed to persuade the man to put the weapon down.

“You don’t really have time, you just do what you think is best in the circumstances,” said PC Collier.

All three officers agreed that despite the dangers and that they had no thought for their own safety they were not heroes.

“That’s what we’re paid to do,” said PC Barnett.

“You realise afterwards actually yes he did have a knife. It could have been much worse, but if we hadn’t have reacted what would have happened then? If you’re fighting in Afghanistan or Iraq you’re a hero, we’re just police officers doing our job.”

Other awards handed out included PCSOs David Barrance and Sally Roper, who attended New College on September 24 to assist staff and officers following intimidation of a witness in a court hearing.

From this they developed links with the school and are now recognisable faces on site.

PC Tim Steed, a member of the Swindon Youth Offending Team developed a Weapons Awareness Programme educating young people about the dangers of weapons and their impact on both the victim and the user.

Working alongside PC Steed and also awarded was PCSO Mandi Coles who worked at all levels of education to ensure that children and young adults make the correct life-decisions.

The Swindon CSI team were also recognised for the performance which has taken them from third bottom of the ranking system in 2006 to first last year for forensic conversion rate – the number of cases that lead to successful conviction. Kier Pritchard, superintendent of operations for Swindon Police, said the occasion was an opportunity to thank members of the public and the police force and their families for helping keep Swindon safe.