A top policing award has shifted the focus for a force caught up in the full glare of international spotlight over the Gatwick airport drone controversy.

As Sussex chief constable Giles York fights his force’s corner over the handling of an incident that brought Britain’s second airport to a shuddering standstill, one of its officers of 32 years’ standing is named in the New Year Honours list for 2019.

PC Caroline Adams has received the Queen’s Police Medal for outstanding contributions to policing in the county.

The Sussex officer is one of 33 across the UK to be recognised for their contribution to the service.

The QPM numbers this year are up 50 per cent on the 2018 recipients.

PC Adams, currently supporting Hampshire chief constable Olivia Pinkney in her lead role for the National Child Centred Policing Portfolio, said: “This has come as such a surprise and my first reaction is to feel extraordinarily honoured and privileged.

“I have been a police officer for 32 years and making a difference to the policing of children and young people is reward enough.”

She added: "A significant part of my career has been engaging with schools and young people so in receiving this honour I must recognise the contribution of everyone that has supported me in that work.”

CC York said: "I join all of my colleagues at Sussex Police in extending our congratulations to Caroline, which is richly deserved.

"Working with children and young people is one of the most challenging and yet most rewarding of policing tasks and Caroline's contribution locally and nationally bears testament to this.”

Sussex PCC Katy Bourne added: "I have had the pleasure of working closely with Caroline and I have been deeply impressed by unwavering dedication to her role and a commitment to go the extra mile for others.”

Of the 33 medals awarded, 13 are at constable rank, two sergeants, five at inspector rank, three at superintendent rank, four chief superintendents, four assistant chief constables and two chiefs.

The Met Police boasts nine recipients, three each for Greater Manchester, the Police Service of Northern Ireland and Police Scotland, two for the West Midlands and one each for the forces of Avon and Somerset, BTP, Devon and Cornwall, Dorset, Durham, Gwent, Humberside, Kent, Merseyside, National Police Co-ordination Centre, Royal Gibraltar Police, South Wales and Sussex.

The full QPM list
PC Caroline Elaine Adams, Sussex Police;
PC Tim Andrews. Metropolitan Police Service;
PC Sam Balfour, Metropolitan Police Service;
Det Supt Sara Buchanan, Police Scotland;
PC Michael Buckley, Greater Manchester Police;
PC Jessica Bullough, British Transport Police;
PC Nick Carlisle, Metropolitan Police Service;
DI Billy Cross, Police Service of Northern Ireland;
Det Supt John Brian Crossley, Metropolitan Police Service;
Chief Supt Belinda Jane Davies, South Wales Police;
Terence Finn, formerly Inspector, Greater Manchester Police;
PC Liam Fitzpatrick. Police Scotland;
Supt Brian Thomas Kee, Police Service of Northern Ireland;
DC Kimberly Hegarty, Police Service of Northern Ireland;
Nicola Holland, formerly ACC, Merseyside Police, now director of investigations NCA;
DC Jonathan Hook, Avon and Somerset Constabulary;
Leslie Ronald Jackson, formerly Sgt, Metropolitan Police Service;
T/Det Chief Supt Neil Malkin, Durham Constabulary;
Chief Supt Richard Alfred MIifsud, Royal Gibraltar Police;
Insp Mustafa Muhammed, West Midlands Police;
Teresa Jane Nicholson, formerly Commander, Metropolitan Police Service;
PC Iian Rae. Metropolitan Police Service;
Alison Jane Roden, formerly Chief Supt, Kent Police;
Chief Constable Shaun Sawyer, Devon and Cornwall Police;
Insp Dale Sexton, Greater Manchester Police;
ACC Christopher Shead, National Police Co-ordination Centre;
Graham Harold Spencer, formerly DC, Humberside Police;
PC Philip Jeffrey Stone, Metropolitan Police Service;
Janine Sullivan, formerly Det Sgt, West Yorkshire Police;
ACC Nelson Telfer, Police Scotland;
PC Bartosz Tchorzewski, Metropolitan Police Service;
Chief Constable James Ronald Vaughan, Dorset Police; and
Insp Amanda Williams. Gwent Police.