First things first: She goes by PC Lou - not ’Police Constable Louise Kennaugh’ - and it’s safe to say that PC Lou finds the attention given to her recent Community Police Officer of the Year award win all a bit embarrassing.

For her, the focus should be completely on the school she visits most days as part of her approach to neighbourhood policing, and the wider community she serves every day.

The team Lou is a part of have a specific approach to their job:

- They problem solve, working with victims, the vulnerable and offenders

- They keep people safe by working in partnership with communities, partner agencies and the third sector

- They carry out targeted activity aimed at meeting the needs of the community

Alongside PC Graham Best, PC Lisa Fitzgerald, PC Paddy Moore and PC Mike Griffiths, Lou is managed by a ’poor suffering’ Sergeant Graham Corran.

The team is based at the police headquarters, and cover what they describe as the ’eastern area’.

This in effect covers Braddan, Onchan, Willaston, Pulrose, Anagh Coar and central Douglas.

They predominantly work day shifts but can be drafted in for other hours on demand - for example when covering late night Christmas shopping, so don’t be surprised if you see them in Douglas town centre on a cold, dark festive night!

Lou said: ’We all have individual responsibilities and I suppose specialist areas that we are good at or like.

’Lisa does a lot of fantastic work with mental health and vulnerable persons.

’Paddy and Griff...well they do what they do! They are great and do a lot of work in the high schools around educating young people on keeping safe. They do a lot of charity work and also run the police youth scheme and Paddy runs shop watch.

’Sgt Corran manages us and tasks us with issues to look at. He links in closely with local authorities and other partner agencies to work together in our area.’

So what about Lou?

’I tend to focus on safeguarding matters and primary schools along with community issues and social media,’ she says.

’We all help each other out and really work as a team.

’I suppose if we were to simplify it, we look at the bigger picture in our area and parachute in to see if we can put some long term problem solving initiatives in to improve or stop issues.

’We look at crimes and investigations managed by other officers and add comments or advice if we can, as we all have many contacts and information linked to our area and responsibilities.’

Neighbourhood policing is very much a team sport, then, and Lou sees the children of Willaston as the most valuable players.

When Lou won the Police Officer of the Year award, the Chief Constable Gary Roberts described her as investing ’considerable time and effort in building trust, supporting vulnerable people, assisting victims of crime and in working with young people.’

He added: ’Constable Kennaugh was nominated for her work with the people who live in Willaston, a large post-war housing estate, where there is a real sense of community, but also some deep-rooted social problems.

’Her nomination stressed that she is seen by the community as being "a genuine human being, who puts the community, but especially children, first." The nomination also described her as offering a "reassuring and caring" presence in the community.’

For Lou, none of these achievements would be possible without the school.

She said: ’Quite simply, I loved this school and its principles the first moment I stepped onto the playground!

’All our schools in the island are fantastic at nurturing and supporting and guiding young people.

’Willaston school is the centre of the local community and you really get a feel for that from what the school are doing.

’If you - the police - can get into the school and build relationships and trust with the young people then you can really get to be part of the community and to gain that trust so that you can help people out.’

She continued: ’Too often we still see and hear parents tell their children when we walk past "If you are naughty I will tell the police on you".

’This makes me quite sad I’m afraid, as what we need is for children and young people, and when they grow into adults, to come to us for help and support and to keep them safe, not fear us. This is what we try to do in community.’

Last week I went with Lou to the school to watch as she gave her award to the kids who will ’look after it for her’.

On Thursdays, the school gathers for an assembly in which they celebrate the achievements of its children which have taken place over the last week.

’Happy Birthday’ is sung to those who have celebrated a birthday, and those who have a special skill or award to share with the school go up to the front of the room to get a well deserved round of applause.

Lou joined the line-up and addressed the gathered kids, asking why they think she had received the award.

’For being a good police officer’ was the resounding answer.

She then explained why she actually thought she had won, saying: ’I got this because of you guys. The teachers and all of you lot.

’Do you know what my special skill is? Making good friends. And that’s what I did the day that I came to this school for the first time when they moved me here to work.

’I made good friends, didn’t I? And we all work together, don’t we? In school, and out of school, and by doing that people have recognised not only what I do, but actually a lot of what you do, because this award is for the school.

’It’s for Willaston. My job’s really easy because you guys are amazing. It’s that simple.’

She then dedicated the award back to the school and asked them to keep hold of it for her.

When asked why the school means so much to her and is so important to the community, she said: ’[It] really is at the centre of the estate. They hold events and welcome parents and family to the school.

’Last summer they held "Willaston fest" where they had a fun day for the children, family and friends of Willaston. There were bouncy castles and slides, live music and all sorts of fun activities for the community to enjoy.’

PC Lou was nominated for the award by a mum with kids at the school, Shannon Murray.

She wrote to us the day after the bomb hoax which took place on September 28. She described how Lou kept the kids calm and smiling despite how scary the situation was for all of them.

PC Lou credits the school, its staff and its children for helping make her job easy. But in reality, it all comes down to officers like her taking the time to build relationships out in the community.

She truly is a worthy winner of our award - though she will hate me for saying that.