KINGSBRIDGE Detective Constable Pete Stephens has received a long service and good conduct medal after 22 years with the Devon and Cornwall police.

DC Stephens joined the police at the age of 32 after his first successful career at the Dockyard in Plymouth, where he had worked as a marine engineer for 16 years.

He wanted a change of scenery and security of employment and so far this has been achieved.

Pete enjoyed his induction to police life which started at Chantmarle Training College. His particular favourites were drinking and running, not at the same time.

He excelled, achieving 10th in the cross country out of 54 runners. He also managed to squeeze in some law training which prepared him for his first posting at Charles Cross in Plymouth.

His first night on duty was a baptism of fire. It involved near riot conditions in Union Street, robberies, colleagues assaulted and a near car crash.

But he went in to work next day and carried on to have a very successful probation in the city.

He then went to Ivybridge, where he realised that his future lay within CID.

He completed his time in Ivybridge and then was posted to Kingsbridge in 1997 where he has spent the majority of his police service as a detective.

Pete lives in the Kingsbridge area, which has meant that he has been in every sense the local detective. He has forged important links with the community and probably knows the criminal fraternity better than they know themselves.

He has worked on some notable operations, receiving Commander's commendations. The first was in 2005 for his work as family liaison officer for Operation Patina, the investigation into the murder of an 18-year-old girl in the Ivybridge area.

This was a challenging role but Pete's work supporting the family and their appeal on the offender's sentence was recognised by his colleagues, the public and, most importantly, the family.

In 2009, Pete received his second commendation for his work as officer in charge on Operation Garlic. This was a drugs and money laundering investigation on a man local to Kingsbridge.

His tenacity and dogged determination saw the man face a term of imprisonment and confiscation of his gains to the sum of just short of a third of a million pounds.

Pete also worked on the fire at Kingsbridge Market and received letters of praise from the community, colleagues and fellow agencies.

He now works in Totnes as a detective and continues to strive to achieve results for the public, caring for victims and witnesses and prosecuting offenders.

Pete's supervisors state that he is a hard working member of the team and he can be relied on to drive any investigation. His colleagues and supervisors would describe him as a much respected, dedicated detective.