Karen Anne Harris from Felixstowe receives BEM honour

Karen Anne Harris has received a BEM in the first King's Birthday Honours selection for her 20-year contribution to volunteering for the police.

The 59-year-old from Felixstowe has had an illustrious career with the police, setting up the Suffolk Sexual Assault Referral Centre (SSARC), and becoming the Citizens in Policing East of England regional coordinator covering several counties.

Mrs Harris was in Barcelona when she heard the news, and said she was "absolutely shocked and dumbstruck."

Karen Harris has worked at the police for 20 years. Credit: Charlotte Bond (Image: Charlotte Bond)

She continued: "I was absolutely speechless, completely overwhelmed and I just feel incredibly honoured.

"There are so many amazing volunteers in the police that I feel are more worthy than me to receive it, so I am feeling very humbled.

"I am really excited though."

Mrs Harris started to work in Felixstowe Police Station back in September 2002, after having policing run through her blood after her dad served as a policeman.

Karen Harris from Felixstowe. Credit: Charlotte Bond (Image: Charlotte Bond)

She also met her husband while working at the police station, who is also a serving police sergeant.

Over her 20 years, she was also chair of the Suffolk Association of Women in Policing, which involved promotional work to get more females into the service, which has led to more women being involved and a female chief constable for Suffolk Constabulary.

She continued: "I've got the best job in the police force.

"It's a great organisation to work for and a lot of the success within citizen policing is down to how brilliant members of the community are.

"In many ways, it has been quite easy to grow the voluntary strands because of the brilliant people that we have in Suffolk."

Karen Harris has been awarded a BEM. Credit: Charlotte Bond (Image: Charlotte Bond)