A police inspector who revolutionised the way Bedfordshire Police does community policing has collected an honour from the Queen at Windsor Castle.
Chief Inspector Hob Hoque was made a Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE) for his work over a number of years to help policing engage with different communities in Bedfordshire.
On Tuesday,February 15, 2022, he collected his award from Princess Anne during a special ceremony with fellow recipients of royal honours.
Bedfordshire Police Chief Constable Garry Forsyth said: “Hob’s dedication to serving different communities, passion for people and improving their lives has created a real and lasting legacy here in Bedfordshire.
“His career is a catalogue of outstanding achievements and ideas to help policing reach out to people from all different backgrounds and faiths in Bedfordshire.
“Hob took on this challenge at a time when trust and confidence in policing was at a low ebb. The progress we have made since then has been remarkable and has been built on the foundation of Hob’s good work, positive attitude and infectious energy.
“I am immensely proud to see Hob collect his honour, which is fitting recognition for someone who has been such a positive force for change.”
In 2013, at a time when there were significant tensions between the police and communities in Luton, Chief Inspector Hoque was asked to lead on Community Cohesion for the force and restructured the unit.
Worked tirelessly
Over the following years he worked tirelessly to build strong and lasting relationships with communities and partners across the town and wider county, to rebuild trust and confidence in Bedfordshire Police.
He also helped overhaul the way the force addresses concerns within local communities, playing a pivotal role in introducing independent scrutiny panels, restructuring the force’s Independent Advisory Group (IAG) and encouraging input from members of the public.
Chief Inspector Hoque was instrumental in bringing together a stop and search community scrutiny panel in 2017, and more recently worked on establishing another community panel to scrutinise use of force.
This is where independent panel members review the actions and behaviour of all parties involved before grading the use of force by officers.
The stop and search community scrutiny panel reviews footage of stop searches carried out by police, as well as how often these powers are used on people from different backgrounds.
As well as addressing community tensions, Chief Inspector Hoque’s work also brought a diverse range of communities and cultures together to celebrate positive community work and spirit across Bedfordshire.
Hosted community cohesion awards
In 2012, he hosted Bedfordshire Police’s first community cohesion awards. Over the years the event has praised, supported and connected hundreds of local residents, charities, services, businesses and partners.
Chief Inspector Hoque said: “Tuesday was an amazing day and I am truly humbled to have been recognised with such a prestigious honour.
“The positive response and kind words from people across the county has been overwhelming and I really cannot thank people enough for their support.
“I could not have done any of my work without the help and support of some incredibly passionate and talented colleagues, different partners and our communities themselves.
“This teamwork represents the best of policing here in Bedfordshire and must continue if we are to continue being the positive force for change we all aspire to be every time we put on the uniform.”
Bedfordshire Police is currently recruiting police officers. For any more information and to find out more please visit beds.police.uk/careers
