A former Hampshire and Isle of Wight Constabulary Police Inspector will receive the King’s Police Medal in the new monarch’s first New Year’s Honours List.
Kelvin Shipp devoted more than 40 years of his life to public service, first joining the force as a Special Constable in November 1981 and then as a full-time regular serving officer in June 1991.
Throughout his career he served in a wide range of roles, most recently as a Response and Patrol Team Inspector in Portsmouth until his retirement in March 2022.
The 62-year-old from Southsea has also provided his skills and experience to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office and the United Nations by joining international policing deployments to Iraq and South Sudan.
He was even awarded with a commendation by the Chief Constable for bravery after coming to the aid of a UN colleague who was confronted by a hostile crowd in South Sudan.
His enthusiasm for policing never waned and he gained a reputation as an inspiring leader by supporting younger colleagues with mentoring and advice, passing his knowledge on to the next generation of policing as he reached the end of a career spanning four decades.
Even in retirement he has continued to support the National Association of Retired Police Officers with his passion about safeguarding the history of the police and his dedication to preserving the memory of fallen police colleagues.
Reflecting on this honour, Kelvin said: “I had absolutely no idea I was being nominated for this honour, so to find out about this after my retirement was very humbling. It’s a tremendous honour.”
Chief Constable Olivia Pinkney said: “Kelvin devoted his working life to policing and served the public with distinction.
“Throughout his career in front line policing Kelvin showed great leadership, determination and courage of many types. I am delighted that he has been recognised for his 40 years of exemplary service.”