LASCO/Jamaica Constabulary Force Police Officer of the Year, Constable Donahue Crossman (right), receives the 2009-2010 trophy from Lascelles Chin, founder and CEO of LASCO Group of Companies, during the ceremony held at the Hilton Kingston hotel in New Kingston yesterday. - Norman Grindley/Chief Photographer

TWO YEARS after Donahue Crossman's mother passed away, he joined the Jamaica Constabulary Force (JCF) to make a contribution to nation building.

Crossman, a 24-year-old constable who is assigned to Area Four, must have done superbly over the last seven years because yesterday he copped the coveted LASCO/JCF Police Officer of the Year Award over eight other sterling finalists.

In the presence of his sister, Kereisha Crossman, the young man, engulfed in emotions with voice breaking and struggling to hold back tears, dedicated the award to his late mother, Norma Crossman.

Constables in lead

It was the second time in the 10-year history of the award that the Police Officer of the Year Award has gone to a member in the lowest rank of the force.

Last year, Constable Marvin Franklyn, who has since been promoted to corporal, created history when he won the award.

Like Franklyn, Crossman was the youngest member of the field of finalists.

This year, there were two other finalists at the rank of constable - Garfield Thomas and Dwayne Card.

First runner-up went to Corporal Marcus Bennett, assigned to the operations portfolio, and second runner-up was Sergeant Fitzgerald Gayle of the Services Branch.

"I see them as role models," Crossman declared in reference to his eight colleagues who stood beside him in a place of honour on the platform.

"What we stand for here is what many neglect even at the risk to our lives," he said of their mandate to serve and protect.

It was a light-hearted ceremony in which members of the force at all levels put aside their differences to pay their respects to the men who were being honoured.

National Security Minister Dwight Nelson made quips at a comment made by Commissioner of Police Rear Admiral Hardley Lewin about Bermuda shorts.

"Where you wear them, we will all wait to see," Nelson said in clear reference to speculations that Lewin was likely to take up a job in Bermuda.

Lewin has since dismissed the reports.

Hero in his own right

President of the Jamaica Ban-kers' Association, Minna Israel, who was guest speaker, described the Police of the Year awardee as a hero in his own right.

"As Jamaica continues its observance of National Heroes Month, we are here today to unveil to the nation another hero who has been outstanding in his efforts to be a meaningful contributor to the process of nation building," she said.

Lascelles Chin, the man who initiated the Police Officer of the Year programme, called for Jamaicans to join hands to affirm the work that policemen and policewomen have been doing.

"We must stop thinking of them only as police, but start seeing them as our fellow Jamaicans whose courage many of us can only wish to have," Chin said.

gary.spaulding@gleanerjm.com