VELIKY NOVGOROD, November 10 (RIA Novosti) - Statuettes representing the British fictional detective Sherlock Holmes have been awarded to the 16 best police officers in Russia's Novgorod Region, a local administration spokesman said on Monday.
Apart from the awards, carved out of marble by local craftsmen, the outstanding police officers were also awarded certificates and other prizes. The event was held to mark Police Officer's Day, celebrated across Russia on November 10.
Over 70 police officers involved in the prevention and investigation of crimes had been nominated for the Sherlock Holmes-2008 competition.
The event was held for the 14th year in a row.
The prize event is a rare positive news story for Russian police, who have been criticized of late over a series of fatal and near-fatal attacks. The most shocking of these came at the end of October when three police officers in the Russian Volga city of Saratov admitted to burning an Armenian national alive after attempting to beat a confession out of him.
