Police officers who have spent decades on the front line were honoured alongside the heroes of dramatic emergency situations.

The most outstanding contributions to policing in the county were highlighted at a ceremony to celebrate the loyalty and achievements of officers and staff with 22 years' service.

Thirty-eight police officers and staff were honoured at the Sussex Police long service awards ceremony.

The event was tinged with sadness as a posthumous Meritorious Service Award was collected by the parents of Brighton PC Sue Elliott, who died last September.

Throughout her 18-year career, PC Elliott worked with the force's police cadets as well as her normal duties. She died from leukaemia last year.

Assistant Chief Constable Jeremy Paine said: "Sue was held in high esteem by all who knew her.

"Sue gave many hours and days' input to promoting and leading the Volunteer Cadet Corps, while still finding time to be an exemplary officer."

Police Community Support Officer Ros Tite won an award from the High Sheriff of East Sussex for her work in Brighton's Tarner area.

She has spent four years as part of the Neighbourhood Specialist Team, forging links with the community and acting as a visible police presence and first port of call for residents.

She told The Argus: "It is an honour and I'm very proud to receive the award.

"I really accepted it on behalf of all the team. I don't achieve anything without support from the community and my fellow officers and PCSOs." Acting Sergeant Darren Taylor won the equivalent award for West Sussex for his work in Crawley.

Retired PC Alan Smith was presented with an Iraq Reconstruction Medal after spending six months training police recruits in Basra.

Long service medals for 22 years' service were given to Chief Superintendent Wayne Jones, Supt Robin Smith, Chief Inspector Bruce Mathews, Insp Jane Derrick, Insp Mark Powles, Sergeant Mortimer Klein, Sgt Julian Maynard, Sgt Philip Mears, and PCs Catherine Brookman, Helen Donovan, Lee Harding, Andrew Hart, Mark Hill, Nicholas Ingram, Elizabeth Johnson, Paul Kendall, Andrew Skinner and David Townsend.

Police staff Jonathan Ashe, Mike Bayford, Peter Burtenshaw, Colin Cheney, Peter Clark, Stephen Mewett and Ian Miller, received certificates for 22 years' service. Special Constables Andrew Gaunt, William Pillow, Glen Woolley and Karen Holman received long service medals after serving nine years.

The Lord Lieutenant of West Sussex, Hugh Wyatt, told the officers: "As far as long service is concerned it adds up to 500 years' service to the police and people of Sussex. We've heard of a great variety of individual contributions and deeds.

"It reminds us of the increasingly complex, difficult and sometimes dangerous tasks we ask officers to carry out on our behalf and that is why we are so grateful to you all."