Six SAPOL officers were presented with Certificates of Merit at the Neighbourhood Watch (NHW) 40^th Anniversary Awards, held at the Lakes Hotel on 23 November.

Senior Constable First Class Bridgette Barendregt

Senior Constable First Class Barendregt began liaising with Klemzig NHW when she joined the Eastern District Community Engagement Section four years ago.

Her nominator said Bridgette has been approachable, responsive and extremely proactive in working to understand the role of NHW within her purview.

Senior Constable First Class David Brown

Senior Constable First Class Brown has had a significant impact on the community through his work with Murray Bridge NHW.

He has helped initiate crime prevention stands and coffee with a cop and attends all meetings to provide a comprehensive crime report.

Constable Cassandra Herkiloglu

Constable Herkiloglu has provided regular updates and assistance to NHW Areas in the Northern District for several years.

She attends an annual meeting with the student leadership team at Para Hills Primary School to speak to students about cyber safety and personal safety issues.

Senior Constable First Class Nancy Johns

Senior Constable First Class Nancy Johns has been Police Coordinator of Happy Valley NHW since 2005.

During her time in the role Nancy has attended most meetings to speak about topical crime issues in the area and provide crime prevention advice.

Brevet Sergeant Bruce Lawton

Brevet Sergeant Lawton has been a part of Hope Valley and Highbury NHW for 29 years and the Area’s Police Coordinator for six years.

In 2023 and 2024, when the Area Coordinator was unable to attend to his duties due to illness, Brevet Sergeant Lawton ran all meetings and managed the newsletter, from sourcing and writing articles to arranging printing and distribution.

For this work, Brevet Sergeant Lawton received a South Australia Police Certificate of Appreciation as well as his merit award.

Sergeant First Class Deborah Luetkens

Sergeant First Class Luetkens has been the Crime Prevention Supervisor in the Barossa Region since August 2021.

By amplifying the voices and efforts of local volunteers, Deb helps bridge the gap between police and residents, ensuring NHW is not just a program but a shared mission.