Officers and staff recognised at inaugural reward and recognition ceremony
Inaugural reward and recognition ceremony for Ministry of Defence Police officers and staff held at MDP Training Centre.
On Friday 7 July, the first ever reward and recognition ceremony for Ministry of Defence Police (MDP) officers and staff was held at the MDP Training Centre, Southwick Park.
MDP officers and staff gathered at the MDP Training Centre, to recognise and celebrate the performance of individuals and teams who had been nominated under the force’s new reward and recognition scheme, which was launched earlier in the year.
The MDP Chief Officer Group, now led by Chief Constable Melanie Dales, recognise that its people are the force’s greatest asset and is therefore making great strides to ensure everyone feels valued.
But this new reward and recognition scheme is more than just showing employee appreciation, it’s about improving workplace engagement, productivity and retention, and driving excellence, to support the success of the Force.
In addition to recognising and celebrating good performance, the scheme therefore provides an opportunity for:
- Spotting talent
- Identifying best practice
- Accessing valuable expertise
- Sharing learning and experiences
- Aligning performance with Force values and goals
- Giving the workforce a shared purpose
Force Firearms Officer, Superintendent Brian Elliott, led on the development of the reward and recognition scheme, and announced the award winners at the inaugural ceremony held at Southwick Park.
Superintendent Elliott said:
We value the contributions of all our officers and staff and want them to feel appreciated.
A simple “thank you” can be very powerful – but the scheme does more than this, it provides a platform to publicly recognise our people, who they are, what they do, and broadcast the great work they are doing.
It is also a culture-based scheme, which aims to ensure our workforce does not just feel valued, but are continually engaged, motivated, and give their best.
By introducing continuous recognition, and making it part of our culture, we hope to reinforce behaviour that helps achieve Force goals, and is in line with our purpose, mission, and values. Our Force can only be successful if our people are performing well.
Additionally, the scheme will help us learn from and nurture the many talented people we have in our Force. It will highlight best practice, bring forward innovative and creative thinking and identify top performers.”
There are six award categories in the MDP reward and recognition scheme which are:
- Team Excellence Award – This is awarded to the team judged to have made a significant contribution to Force objectives over the past year.
- Innovation Award – This is awarded to the individual or team judged to have made best use of innovative techniques to overcome problems and improve performance.
- Collaboration Award – This is awarded to the individual or team judged to have made best use of a collaborative approach with partners to improve performance.
- Rising Star Award – This is awarded to the individual performing at an exceptional level whilst displaying future leadership potential.
- Unsung Hero Award – This is awarded recognises extraordinary staff whose achievements don’t necessarily fit with a specific award category or act of bravery, but perhaps someone who has battled adversity, demonstrated immense moral courage in order to highlight an issue, someone whose creativity and innovation made positive change for the benefit of policing or their colleagues, or for extraordinary out-of-work achievements.
- Inspirational Leader Award – This is awarded to the individual supervisor or manager judged to perform to an exceptional level displaying a commitment to inspire those around them.
MDP Chief Constable Melanie Dales was delighted to present the awards at the inaugural ceremony.
She said:
“It was an occasion of joy for us all as we came together to celebrate the achievements of our amazing people.
I felt truly honoured, and immensely proud, to be amongst such talented and capable colleagues. Our workforce is made up of so many extraordinary people, and it is important we take the time to recognise their contributions to the Force, and show our appreciation.
I wish to congratulate all our award winners and extend my thanks for the great work you have done, and what you continue to do, to serve the Force and Defence, each and every day.”
During the ceremony commendations were also given to members of the Force who had made a significant contribution to policing, and for meritorious action including acts of bravery.
More information
Any officer or member off staff in the MDP can be nominated for the reward and recognition scheme. More details can be found on the Force intranet.
Coming soon, we shine a spotlight on the award winners.
