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Well Done Darren Balkham!



Fef

Rock God.
Feb 21, 2009
1,727
From the Sussex Police Website:

Sussex Police's football intelligence and liaison officer PC Darren Balkham has had his work recognised with the presentation of a High Sheriff's award.

He was handed a framed certificate bearing a citation for his achievements by the High Sheriff of West Sussex, Patrick Burgess, at a ceremony in Brighton, also attended by Sussex Police's Deputy Chief Constable, Giles York.
Darren, 41, is originally from Manchester and is a big fan of Manchester United. But since starting his current role in 2000 he has also become something of a Seagulls' supporter, thanks to his work with Brighton & Hove Albion.

Darren, who joined Sussex Police in 1995, said: " "My work is based on the model of neighbourhood policing and I consider myself very lucky to have this job. I live, eat and breath football. There are only seven clubs I've not visited, and a recent pre-season friendly with Norwich was my 600th game accompanying the Albion.

"We basically try to encourage self-policing by the fans, building trust and confidence so that they effectively take responsibility for their own behaviour. We also aim to be consistent in the way we police Seagull's matches. There are always officers present, but we don't 'front load' things for big games. That just doesn't work."

Inspector Tony Lumb, said: "Darren's ethos is to treat everyone involved in football as a unique community, engaging with them on a personal basis and then address their problems in conjunction with our partner agencies. It epitomises neighbourhood policing."

Such has been the success of Darren's approach that even while holidaying in Florida recently he was spotted by an Albion fan who came over to greet him. A spokesman for the Seagulls' Supporters Club said: "We can travel anywhere in the country in the happy knowledge that Darren has sorted things out prior to our arrival."

Darren also works closely with the UK Football Policing Unit and the Football Association, and Insp Lumb said he had "deftly managed some highly sensitive investigations and incidents involving players and staff, maintaining a professional and confidential approach throughout.

"Rarely has one officer had such a positive impact on a section of the community over a sustained period of time as Darren has had with Brighton & Hove Albion and their associated partners and organisations over the past 13 years."

After receiving his award, Darren said: "I had no idea that this was going to happen and I was genuinely thrilled and humbled by the whole thing."
 




Seagull on the wing

New member
Sep 22, 2010
7,458
Hailsham
From the Sussex Police Website:

Sussex Police's football intelligence and liaison officer PC Darren Balkham has had his work recognised with the presentation of a High Sheriff's award.

He was handed a framed certificate bearing a citation for his achievements by the High Sheriff of West Sussex, Patrick Burgess, at a ceremony in Brighton, also attended by Sussex Police's Deputy Chief Constable, Giles York.
Darren, 41, is originally from Manchester and is a big fan of Manchester United. But since starting his current role in 2000 he has also become something of a Seagulls' supporter, thanks to his work with Brighton & Hove Albion.

Darren, who joined Sussex Police in 1995, said: " "My work is based on the model of neighbourhood policing and I consider myself very lucky to have this job. I live, eat and breath football. There are only seven clubs I've not visited, and a recent pre-season friendly with Norwich was my 600th game accompanying the Albion.

"We basically try to encourage self-policing by the fans, building trust and confidence so that they effectively take responsibility for their own behaviour. We also aim to be consistent in the way we police Seagull's matches. There are always officers present, but we don't 'front load' things for big games. That just doesn't work."

Inspector Tony Lumb, said: "Darren's ethos is to treat everyone involved in football as a unique community, engaging with them on a personal basis and then address their problems in conjunction with our partner agencies. It epitomises neighbourhood policing."

Such has been the success of Darren's approach that even while holidaying in Florida recently he was spotted by an Albion fan who came over to greet him. A spokesman for the Seagulls' Supporters Club said: "We can travel anywhere in the country in the happy knowledge that Darren has sorted things out prior to our arrival."

Darren also works closely with the UK Football Policing Unit and the Football Association, and Insp Lumb said he had "deftly managed some highly sensitive investigations and incidents involving players and staff, maintaining a professional and confidential approach throughout.

"Rarely has one officer had such a positive impact on a section of the community over a sustained period of time as Darren has had with Brighton & Hove Albion and their associated partners and organisations over the past 13 years."

After receiving his award, Darren said: "I had no idea that this was going to happen and I was genuinely thrilled and humbled by the whole thing."
He really is a nice chap,looked after me at many away and home games...if he has one bad point,then it's that he is Man U fan..but forgive him...bless. Well done Darren.
 








Diego Napier

Well-known member
Mar 27, 2010
4,416
Pc beard had it sorted better???

Completely uncalled for on a thread praising Darren's efforts on behalf of all of us.

Makes you look mean spirited, childish and sad.
 




Goldstone1976

We Got Calde in!!
Helpful Moderator
NSC Patreon
Apr 30, 2013
13,766
Herts
Well done, Darren; very well deserved recognition!

RotR - FWIW, I think you really misjudged your post. Pissing on someone's parade is a bit low....
 




Brovion

Well-known member
NSC Patreon
Jul 6, 2003
19,322
He's a top chap and one of the measures of his success is that in all the things we find to moan about I can't remember the last time I saw a critical thread on here about the policing of Albion's home games. (And not that many away games, although we all know the Met can be ********s). Stewarding is always good for a binfest, but the actual plod presence and actions always seems to pass unremarked - and yes I accept there's always going to be individual incidents where someone will 'scream for a policeman' and one won't be in the immediate vicinity.

EDIT: Censored word was about posterior holes. Sorry google.
 




Lenny Rider

Well-known member
Sep 15, 2010
5,377
Must be a user on here .... name?

Used to be one of the Brighton Bill's until a shocking abuse of the net(by someone else) on the old NSC.

Even for a copper, a top bloke and very fair, not always a universal quality in the old bill, he rightly deserves all of this recognition.
 




paul & shark

New member
Sep 17, 2013
192
reminds me of this bloke

TheFatController.jpg:lolol:
 




edna krabappel

Well-known member
NSC Patreon
Jul 7, 2003
47,228




Completely uncalled for on a thread praising Darren's efforts on behalf of all of us.

Makes you look mean spirited, childish and sad.
:facepalm:

Pc Balkham has managed a very difficult job with great understanding and common sense,he is a model of how policing at football should be conducted,his regonition is well deserved:bowdown:

But pc beard had a cracking beard:rolleyes:
 


edna krabappel

Well-known member
NSC Patreon
Jul 7, 2003
47,228
:facepalm:

Pc Balkham has managed a very difficult job with great understanding and common sense,he is a model of how policing at football should be conducted,his regonition is well deserved:bowdown:

But pc beard had a cracking beard:rolleyes:


Darren has had a beard at times in the past you know.

But- and I'm sorry to say this, DB, if you're reading: it did look RUBBISH.
 








seagullsovergrimsby

#cpfctinpotclub
Aug 21, 2005
43,690
Crap Town
When did the DHSS become the DSS?

When they gave up tackling obesity amongst benefit claimants. After it was pointed out that the new name had extreme right wing connotations it was rebranded as DWP.
 





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