Now in its eighth year, the awards offer people the opportunity to support the continuing efforts of the community and the Constabulary in helping to keep Norfolk a safer county to live, work and visit.
 
The awards combine internal recognition with local communities voting for officers who they feel deserve an award for their contributions to their community. Additionally, if people know of an exceptional individual or group who needs to be thanked they are encouraged to nominate them for an award.
 
Chief Constable Simon Bailey said: “I am always pleased to recognise people who go that extra mile despite the financial challenges we all face at the moment. To deliver a high level of service with less funding is an incredible achievement with many people going above and beyond what is expected of them.
 
“I would urge you all to nominate and vote for those people from our community through to police officers and police staff who with their actions and words have made a difference to the area we all live and work in.”
 
A new category has been added this year, the Police Staff Member of the Year Award, which will be given to the member of police staff who shows outstanding work by the service they provide for the benefit of Norfolk Constabulary.
 
The Chief Constable will choose recipients for the Special Recognition Award. He will also be acknowledging officers and staff with Bravery Awards which recognise their outstanding bravery in the line of duty. Finally, the Police Dog of the Year will be voted for on the Norfolk Constabulary’s Facebook page.
 
Readers of the Eastern Daily Press can choose their Community Officer of the Year, while the three other categories that members of the public can nominate someone for are: The John (Cecil) Mason Volunteer of the Year, Young Citizen(s) of the Year and Community Citizen(s) of the Year.
 
Voting closes on Friday 7 August. The winners and runners-up will be invited to a special awards evening taking place at Holiday Inn, Cromer Road, Norwich, on Thursday 15 October.
 
Full information about the awards and entry criteria is available on the NOSCAs website along with online nomination forms for all categories: www.noscas.co.uk
 
2015 categories are:

• Student Officer of the Year
• The John (Cecil) Mason Volunteer of the Year Award
• Special Constabulary Officer of the Year
• Police Staff Member of the Year
• Young Citizen(s) of the Year
• Investigator of the Year
• Problem Solver of the Year
• Community Citizen(s) of the Year
• The Chief Constable’s Special Recognition Awards
• The Bravery Awards
• Community Officer of the Year: Police Officer (Jim Wilson Plate); Police Community Support Officer (PCSO)
• Police Dog of the Year
• Outstanding Team of the Year
• Safer Neighbourhood Team of the Year