Thames Valley Police Authority has won the award of Police Service of the Year 2010.

Khan Juna, chairman of the police authority and Deputy Chief Constable Francis Habgood were presented with the award at a ceremony held in Westminster, London.

The award, from Improvement and Efficiency South East was sponsored by Mace Plus and presented by their operations director, Steve Henley.

Mr Henley said: “The Police Service of the Year Awards is for a police service that has made outstanding improvement in its services over the previous year.”

Thames Valley Police Authority won the award for the efficiency and effectiveness brought about by the force’s Productivity Plan.

Jim Booth, chief executive of the Police Authority, said: “In 2009/10 the force made over £7m of cashable savings and significantly increased the number of front line police officers, while reducing levels of crime and helping increase public confidence in the police.

“The productivity plan has enabled the force and the authority to work together in order to direct cost savings to areas that matter to local people, and improve services while trying to minimise the burden on the taxpayer.”

Deputy Chief Constable of Thames Valley Police, Francis Habgood, said: “The productivity plan involves identifying in-force savings and efficiencies so that we can reduce costs in existing processes. This has enabled us to put our time and investment primarily into neighbourhood and frontline policing."