Page 17 - WMPF December-January Magazine.url_Neat

Royal recognition

Late Mum

helped

motivate

sergeant

honoured

by Queen

ergeant Joe Trusselle’s listing in the “It’s an absolute privilege to have been to be able to help people and make some sort
Queen’s Birthday Honours is the latest honoured at a national level,” Joe said. “It has of difference,” said Joe, who was initially posted
Sstage in his successful career as a police given me a real sense of achievement around at Wolverhampton Central with a police
officer. some of the work that I’ve done.” development unit tutor.
Joe has been awarded the British Empire The medal follows him securing Home “My early days were really enjoyable. My
Medal (BEM) for work that led to a huge Office and Sport England grants to run first response team was such a brilliant bunch
reduction in anti-social behaviour. He was one projects aimed at keeping children out of of people, from the oldest in service to those
of only seven police officers across the UK to trouble and a dedicated police van tackling my own age.
be awarded the BEM. anti-social behaviour. “My closest friends today are people who I
Joe says the memory of his late Mum His work led to anti-social behaviour met on that team 15 years ago.”
seeing him in his police uniform as a young falling by 59 per cent during one school Indeed, meeting those friends are among
recruit has been a motivation throughout his summer holiday period as young people were the highlights of his career to date.
career. engaged with sports and other activities. “My highlights are meeting so many
“My family were all really pleased by my “I kept a look-out for new funding fantastic people over the last 15 years and
decision to join,” said Joe, who joined West opportunities and then tried to think how the seeing all of the fantastic work taking place
Midlands Police in 2005. “My Mum especially. funders’ objectives could align to our every day,” he said. “Obviously being promoted
“She was quite poorly through my priorities,” he said. and being awarded my British Empire Medal
recruitment process and, looking back now, I Joe said that because of the coronavirus are also high on that list.
guess that the updates along the way pandemic he is unsure about when he will “I’m a self-confused optimist, so I’ve not
provided her with a little bit of a distraction receive his medal. really had any low points. Clearly, things have
from her illness. “It’s a little up in the air,” he said. “The Lord changed as a result of a reduction in police
“Something that will always stay with me Lieutenant of Staffordshire has contacted me funding but taking positives from this, it’s
was being able to let my Mum see me in my and will arrange the presentation as soon as shown me how resilient we all can be.”
uniform just after my fitting and shortly they’re able to. He credits his late grandfather-in-law, Joe
before she passed away. “The same goes for the royal garden Davies, as being a big influence on his career.
“This was a very proud moment and, on parties which are hopefully going to “He rose to the rank of superintendent
reflection, probably let my Mum know I was recommence next year.” heading up Force operations,” he said. “Joe has
going to be OK as I was embarking on a stable Joe is now a neighbourhood policing been a huge influence on my career, and I
career. supervisor on Small Heath and Highgate but is spent many an hour chatting to him about
“It was with these motivations that I was due to move across to the Commonwealth work.
able to throw myself into my new venture just Games, which come to Birmingham in 2022. “He was always so interested to know
a month after she died.” “It’s an amazing opportunity where I will what things were like nowadays and it was so
Joe’s motivation and dedication to the job be responsible for implementing the security refreshing that, despite the differences, he saw
saw him awarded the British Empire Medal for plan for a cluster of venues that will be utilised how we needed to move with the times.”
services to community policing. for the games,” he said. So, what advice would he give to influence
Joe, who moved to Small Heath and Joe, who joined the Force in 2005, said he a new recruit today?
Highgate earlier this year, will receive the wanted to be a police officer from a young age. “Just enjoy yourself and don’t miss an
medal for his work in Wolverhampton over a “No matter how much of a cliché it opportunity to learn or be involved with
14-year period. sounds, I guess, like many of us, I just wanted something new,” he said.
www.polfed.org/westmids federation December 2020/January 2021 17