A team of bobbies on bikes who have helped reduce drug-dealing, burglary and car crime will pick up Thames Valley Police's top award at a ceremony next month.

The east Oxford beat team will receive 2003's Shrievalty Merit Team Award for units which bring special credit to the force on March 4, at Drayton Park Golf Club, near Abingdon.

The team, introduced in January 2002, was chosen for significantly reducing crime and increasing public confidence in east Oxford.

Recipients will include the team's leader, Sgt Jim O'Ryan, and Pcs Lewis Mayling, David Stares, Christopher Griffin, Kevin Crick, Richard Jones, Jonathon Lewis, Lucy Creed, Neil Streeter and Steven Clarke. All are present or former members of the team.

The officers were given bikes to make them more visible in the community and as a fast and effective measure in the fight against crime.

The team also includes community beat officers, who patrol on foot.

Successes include assisting the Immigration Service with removing dozens of Jamaican drug dealers; conducting more than 1,000 stops and searches, with just one complaint received; securing Oxford's first conviction for money laundering in connection with drug dealing; and conducting the most successful daytime Automatic Number Plate Recognition operation in the force, resulting in 18 arrests.

The team are also credited with cutting house burglary by six per cent during 2002-03; cutting vehicle theft by 26 per cent; arresting a drink-driver following a pursuit on bicycles in April 2003, and numerous drug and burglary raids.

Ch Supt David McWhirter, area commander for Oxford, said: "It's always difficult to decide who to nominate, but this police area now enjoys a very good reputation for getting things done in east Oxford and this is mainly due to the perseverance and hard work of the team. I felt that was so exceptional it merited some recognition."

Ch Insp Chris Parker-Towle, of Oxford police, said: "At the beginning of 2002, it was common to stop-check people who had come from as far away as Coventry, Southampton and Bristol to buy class A drugs, and presumably bring some of their drug-related crime with them. This has ceased."

The team will be given the Shrievalty team award jointly with a Milton Keynes-based department which trains police officers.

The Chief Officer of the Special Constabulary in Thames Valley, Alan Buckingham, will receive the individual Shrievalty Award for 40 years' service.