Filenews 21 January 2026
The King's Overseas Territories Police Medal was awarded to the Deputy Assistant Police Director, Lieutenant Marko Petrou, following the publication of the list of New Year's Honours this month.
The Lieutenant who serves in Dhekelia and joined the Corps three decades ago, at the age of 25, described the distinction as "a very pleasant surprise" and stated that it is particularly important for his work to be recognized.
As he said: "I found out on December 30 and of course, I felt very proud. After 30 years of service, to have my efforts recognized in this way is a great honour and I thank those who recommended me."
Since dedicating his future to the BB Police, Lieutenant Petrou has served in almost all positions of the Corps and considers that this experience contributed substantially to his development as a police officer.
"I've been given tremendous support to move forward in my career," he continued. "I am especially grateful for this, as it has allowed me to grow and improve through many different roles."
However, despite his pride in receiving this significant accolade, he was quick to give credit to his colleagues with whom he has worked for the past 30 years.
"Although I am the recipient of the award, this was only possible thanks to the BB Police family, of which I am a member.
"Over the years I have worked with many excellent police officers and I want to thank them all for their hard work, because without them none of this would have been possible."
He also made special reference to the local community he has served over the years: "As a police officer, above all, my duty is to contribute to ensuring the safety of the community and by building close ties with it, we can achieve this effectively.
"I have always felt the support of the community, even in times when we did not agree on everything. This is a key element of police work and fortunately, we have managed to maintain it over the years. I hope to continue in the same way for the rest of my career."
