A POLICE officer who was on the front line of Ealing’s 2011 riots has been nominated for a Pride award because of the dedication he has shown in trying to prevent any repeat of the violence.

Sergeant Chris Naughton, who has just moved from the Greenford Broadway Safer Neighbourhood Team to the Perivale team, has played a major role in finding activities and interests for youngsters during the long school summer holidays.

His nominee is Archie Ross, chairman of Ravenor Park Residents Association and a member of Greenford Broadway police forum.

Mr Ross said: “Sgt Naughton has been a first class sergeant on the patch.

“He has also been involved with residents’ associations at charity events and was very much involved in the charity concert that I organised to raise funds for the Summer Project – to take children off the streets during summer holidays.

“He was also on the front line in the problems during the riots in Ealing. He took time off to accompany five amputee servicemen on Operation Snowcap Kilimanjaro in Feb 2012.

“He completed the climb and raised thousands of pounds for the charity. He is a superb police officer.”

Sgt Naughton, 46, said he was surprised and delighted to be nominated.

“I had lots to do when I grew up, so we believe that if the kids are busy they are less likely to get into trouble.

“We targeted schools across the borough and it worked really well and showed how easy it was to do, with relatively little money.”

Sgt Naughton said Brentford FC and Harlequin rugby coaches were involved and up to 60 youngsters a day attended the Grand Union Village Community Centre.

The father-of-two who lives in Reading said the riots took them all by surprise.

He said: “Our first intelligence was that Harrow was the next target and then that switched to Ealing. We had minimum strength because a lot of officers had been deployed elsewhere.

“There were levels of public frustration and anger that this could happen in England. People out for the evening were very frightened caught in the thick of it.

“I was just happy to get people safely home.”