A senior North Yorkshire Police officer has backed diversity in local communities by supporting an awards ceremony for ethnic minorities.
Detective Chief Inspector Kerrin Smith presented an award at the prestigious BME Network awards in Middlesbrough on Friday 16th September 2011.
The awards, which were held at the Thistle Hotel, celebrate the skills and talents of the black and minority ethnic community and highlight their outstanding contribution to the local economy.
DCI Kerrin Smith at the BME Network awards
The awards also recognise the work that organisations and individuals have achieved to advance the race equality agenda and how local businesses and networks support ethnic minority issues in the North East region.
DCI Smith presented the education award to Middlesbrough College Principal/Chief Executive Mike Hopkins after they were recognised for their innovation in accessing diverse communities.
She said:
It was an honour to be asked to present one of the awards at such an important and prestigious ceremony.
The black and ethnic minority community play a very important part in our society and it is extremely important that their contribution is recognised not just by the BME Network but by society as a whole.
Some of the winners and people who are involved in the awards year in year out are fantastic role models for young people and the more recognition they receive for the outstanding example they set the better.
The Master of Ceremonies for the evening was Nazir Afzal OBE, who is the Chief Crown Prosecutor for the north west region.
