Singled out for her selflessness and devotion to her job, Helen Graham has been voted the nation's top community police officer.

Women's Editor Christen Pears meets her.

LIKE millions of other people, Helen Graham takes the bus to work every day but she attracts considerably more attention than the average commuter. After all, it isn't often that you see a uniformed police officer using public transport.

"I get the bus up to my beat every day," says the 43-year-old PC. "To me, it seems totally natural but some of the other officers thought it was quite amusing at first. Now everyone is saying what a good idea it is. It means I get to see people and they get to see me. They can see that I'm just an ordinary person and part of their community."

Taking the bus is typical of Helen's down-to-earth and dedicated approach to her work and one of the factors which helped her win the title Best Community Police Officer of the Year, beating officers from 39 forces across the country.

Helen grew up in Hexham and joined the police force 25 years ago, straight from school. She worked in uniform on the vice squad and spent eight years in CID, before returning to uniformed patrol. "I enjoyed working in CID, it made me more aware as an officer, but I really missed the hands-on stuff and meeting people," she says.

Some of her superiors tried to dissuade her but she was determined to return to uniform and asked to be stationed at Wallsend, where she had spent six months during the 1980s. "I didn't expect it to be the same but I had some background knowledge of the area and I knew it was somewhere I could work."

Then, 18 months ago, she was allocated a beat that included Battle Hill and Hadrian Park. The area is large and fairly diverse, with both private estates and old, run-down housing. The unemployment rate is twice the national average and there is an enclave of asylum seekers. Tyneside College has a site in Battle Hill, which means there are always lots of young people about.

"At first, the suspicion was that I was going to be there a very short time before I moved on somewhere else, because that is what had happened in the past. Once people realised my interest in the community, all the barriers came down. They knew I was there because I wanted to be and I haven't felt any animosity from anyone. I think that's down to being approachable and being a human being. Yes, I wear a uniform, but I'm a human being underneath."

A colleague who had worked the beat previously introduced her to a few key contacts, including the Community Development Partnership, the housing office and the college but, after that, it was up to her.

"Being a community beat officer isn't just about police work. It isn't up to the police to tackle problems on their own. We work with other agencies to tackle crime and disorder. My contacts were able to introduce me to residents' groups and I was able to get to know the community through them."

Helen works particularly closely with asylum seekers, who are mainly from Albania and Russia. She plans to spend the £3,000 bursary from her award visiting Albania and learning about its problems and culture. She hopes this will help her build bridges between the asylum seekers and those who have lived in the area all their lives.

"When I first started this role, I was a bit nervous about working with asylum seekers because I'd never met one before. However, it was clear right from the outset that they were a community the same as anyone else. They want to live as quietly as possible as part of the community.

"I would be lying if I said there hadn't been any problems but most of them speak very good English now and they are more integrated. I think people always fear the unknown, they're ignorant about other cultures and it's going to take time to change that."

Typically, Helen's shift begins in the cramped office she shares with a colleague. A street map showing her beat is pinned on the noticeboard, as well as photographs and numerous notes and reminders.

She begins by checking the incident log for anything that has happened on her beat since she was last on duty. There's never a day when she finds herself wandering aimlessly.

"Even if there hasn't been an incident, I'm busy because my day is very diary-led. I might go into a school and talk to children about stranger danger and I have a weekly surgery. The college has been brilliant and different lecturers have asked me to come and talk to their students. I've even called out the bingo numbers at a pensioners' luncheon club.

"Some people always complain that they never see a police officer but I can't be everywhere. I'm always available via e-mail or mobile phone. I may not be able to follow something up myself but I can put them in touch with someone else who can."

For Helen, the Community Beat Officer of the Year award was recognition of her 25 years' service and something of which she is immensely proud. She shows me photographs of the ceremony in London - her sipping champagne, walking on stage to collect her award, meeting David Blunkett.

"It was an amazing night. I felt so excited. When my name was announced and I stood up, there was a sea of people. They were all clapping. It was a standing ovation.

"When I won the Northumbria award, I just froze up on stage and all I could say was 'thank you'. I really regretted that so I prepared a speech when I went to London, just in case I won. Basically, it was all about communication because I think that's the crux of everything - not just for community beat officers but for all police officers."

The reaction from her colleagues, she says, has been overwhelming. Although they subject her to gentle ribbing as we pass them in the corridor, there were 30 e-mails waiting for her when she got back from London, from people she had worked with over the years.

"I found that so touching," she says. "It hadn't really sunk in until then but when you know your colleagues are proud of you, you know you're doing your job well."

Residents on her beat have also been quick to congratulate her. "I think they're pleased because it brings some sort of accolade to Wallsend and Tyneside but in a way, the award is also for them.

"I can work as hard as I like but without their co-operation and support, there just wouldn't be any point."