Thames Valley Police Officers Recognised in the King’s Birthday Honours List
Thames Valley Police (TVP) is proud to announce that three devoted members of our force have been recognised for their commitment to public services as part of the King’s Birthday Honours 2024.
Police Sergeant Laurence East has received the British Empire Medal for his services to policing and charitable work, while Former Police Sergeant Nicholas Rueter and former Detective Superintendent Stan Gilmour have received the King’s Police Medal for their services to policing.
Police Sergeant Laurence East
Police Sergeant Laurence East has been recognised for his exceptional courage and devotion to serving TVP in defiance of terminal cancer.
Originally inspired to join the police by his police officer friend, Laurence has been a stable member of the force and his community since 2002. However, it was his cancer diagnosis in 2020, that spurred him to fundraise to help others and spread awareness of the disease and the mental health struggles endured with it.
Laurence’s fundraising achievements are no mean feat, and his dedication and positive mindset have seen him raise an incredible amount for the charity. Initially setting up a Shield Run challenge, which involved Laurence running a mile a day for a month, in full police protective equipment weighing a substantial 17kg, saw him raise a staggering £16,000 for Pancreatic Cancer. His charitable efforts have continued to grow alongside the awareness and money raised for charity.
He selflessly seeks out opportunities to help others and has been made an ambassador of the Curtis Palmer Program, a police charity that supports officers who may be dealing with anxiety or stress to return to work.
Former Police Sergeant Nicholas Reuter
Former Police Sergeant Nicholas Reuter originally joined the force in 1993, spent the following 19 years devoting himself to the service of our communities, and was the lead planner for both Operation Forth Bridge, the funeral arrangements for HRH the Duke of Edinburgh, and Operation London Bridge, the funeral arrangements for Her Majesty the Queen.
Committed to preparing and enabling Thames Valley Police and other partnerships to deliver a safe and respectful family funeral.
Upon receiving his award, Nick said saying “It has been a great honour and a privilege to receive this award. This award is a reflection on not just my work but the efforts of both the operational commanders I was working for and the team who supported me throughout these events, and I would like to give my thanks to them all.”
Former Detective Superintendent Stan Gilmour
Former Detective Superintendent Stan Gilmore has played a pivotal role in violence reduction across Thames Valley. Having started his career in 1993 in Reading, his dedication and commitment to our communities have been evident throughout. Stan returned to Reading in 2015 as Area Commander, and then four years later established a Violence Reduction Unit that encompasses the entire Thames Valley area. This also saw Stan become the national lead for data collaboration and analytics, involving him overseeing the £6m Home Office investment in Thames Valley for serious violence prevention.
Upon reflection of his work in the Violence Reduction Unit, Stan said “It was rewarding to be able to make a difference to the health, safety and wellbeing of local communities.”
“I am delighted to see that three of our police officers have been recognised for their outstanding service to policing in the King’s Birthday Honours List. These awards highlight their dedication and continued commitment to policing and protecting our communities. The recognition of all their achievements is not just a reflection of themselves but also of Thames Valley Police. I offer my congratulations to them all on behalf of all their colleagues and our partners.”
All three officers have worked tirelessly throughout their careers, to increase the wellbeing and safety of their communities. We are extremely delighted and proud to see their impeccable efforts be recognised and we thank them for the incredible work they have done and continue to do.
If you are inspired by the work of these officers and believe that you can make a difference in your community, we encourage you to apply to join TVP today. Check out all of our current vacancies.
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