LAST week, some of Harrow's bravest civilians and police officers were praised at the annual commendation ceremony.

It is great to see that people who endanger their lives to ensure Harrow remains a safe borough are recognised in this way.

The tireless work by police officers is often overlooked so it was fantastic to witness their efforts receiving due praise.

Recently there have been talks of cuts to police teams in the capital and it is feared that Harrow's status as a safe borough will mean it is the first to bear the brunt of the cull.

We can only hope that the effort put in by so many to ensure Harrow continues to be labelled as a borough with little crime, is no carelessly dismissed and the cuts are reconsidered.

The ceremony made clear that, even though certain officers were singled out, it is the work of the entire police team that keeps Harrow relatively crime free. But the police cannot operate successfully without the help of the residents it looks after - which is why extra credit should be shown to the residents who were also commended.

The actions of Ifeanyi Obinwa, who jumped off his bus to chase a mugger down the street, prove that community spirit here is still important to some.

All too often we hear of residents ignoring incidents on their own door steps. Of course, no one should take the law into their own hands, but we can surely look out for our neighbours and help the police continue its fantastic work.