A POLICE officer who faced down a knife-wielding youth was chosen to collect her force's third Charter Mark.
PC Sally Ann MacDonald, 30, accepted the award from Home Secretary Jack Straw on behalf of Northumbria Police, at a ceremony in London.
PC MacDonald, based at Haltwhistle, Northumberland, was threatened with a 5in knife when she arrested a youth she caught stealing sweets from a shop while she was off-duty.
She held on to hin despite the threat from one of his two friends who later ran off. They were arrested, and all three given custodial sentences.
PC MacDonald was commended by Chief Constable Crispian Strachan last year for her bravery and tenacity.
He said that she "typifies the officers who work to protect the public throughout Northumbria.
"Her dedication and that of all her colleagues, both officers and support staff, are instrumental in why Northumbria Police has been able to win the top prize for excellence in public service for a third time."
An independent panel of Cabinet Office judges praised the force's improvement in crime reduction and commitment to public-focused policing.
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