Neighbourhood Inspector handed Honorary Freedom award

This award has only been given twice before!

A huge congratulations to our very own neighbourhood Inspector Dave Clarke, who has been formally awarded the Honorary Freedom of the Parish of the City of Durham.

Councillor Walker said: “Since his arrival in the role four years ago he has transformed the safety, cohesion, and confidence of the city through bold leadership and a refusal to accept that longstanding challenges were inevitable.

“His dedication, compassion, and relentless drive have made our parish safer, stronger, and more united. Dave’s innovative thinking, tenacity, and commitment to partnership working have delivered real, lasting change for Durham."

During his time in Durham, Inspector Clarke has helped bring in new initiatives and approaches aimed at reducing crime and supporting vulnerable people.

Adam Shanley, parish council clerk, added: "The thing you most need to understand about my friend and colleague Dave is his incredible capacity to do good in this world.

"He spends his day job keeping our streets safe and supporting victims of crime, and the rest of his time helping the homeless, practising veganism, caring for stray dogs and dressing up as Santa Claus going into the children’s wing of our local hospitals.

"We struck gold in Durham City when he arrived at our door."