A PRESTIGIOUS and rare honour has been bestowed on Kent Police’s European strategy advisor Frank Gallagher.

At a special ceremony, Mr Gallagher received the title of Chevalier de l’Ordre National du Mérite, awarded to him by M. Denis Prieur, the Préfet of the Pas-de-Calais region, on behalf of the French Government.

The ceremony, at the Calais Sous-Préfecture, was attended by Kent Police’s Chief Constable, Mike Fuller, together with the British Consul General Clive Alderton, high-ranking French officials and senior police officers of both countries.

The award was in recognition of his long-standing devotion to the cause of cross-border co-operation between Kent Police and French authorities.

As well as making special mention of Mr Gallagher's ability to converse with French colleagues in their own language, the Préfet praised his professionalism, great patience and diplomacy.

Mr Gallagher said: "My family and I were greatly moved by the decoration, one which the French Government seldom awards to foreigners.

"The award also honours the efforts of all my colleagues who have worked so hard over the years to develop the excellent relations between our two countries and the high level of co-operation we now enjoy with our colleagues in France."

Mr Gallagher's involvement in cross-Channel operations began in 1982 when he was appointed Cross-Channel liaison officer for Kent Police. He went on to play a significant role in the Channel Tunnel project, developing and maintaining links between the Home Office and the French Ministry of the Interior.

His next achievement came in 1991 when he established and headed the European Liaison Unit (ELU), set up to develop co-operation between Kent Police and its European neighbours in the field of international criminal investigation.

In 1998, Mr Gallagher retired from Kent Police but his special skills and experience were still needed and he became Kent Police’s European Strategy Advisor, a position he still holds.

He used to live on Sheppey but now lives in the Medway Towns.