Russell Scores a First

British author Craig Russell, who pens a series starring half-Scottish, half-German detective Jan Fabel of the Hamburg murder squad (Blood Eagle, Brother Grimm, and the forthcoming Eternal), has won the Hamburg Polizeistern Award (the annual Police Star Award). According to Book 2 Book:

The award is given in recognition of the person who has done most to support the work of the Polizei Hamburg and to raise awareness of the force and its work. This is the only time a Hamburg Police award has been bestowed on a non-German.

The award was presented by Polizeipräsident Werner Jantosch, Chief of Police for Hamburg and there was an audience of 300 consisting of senior police officers, press, TV and radio, and politicians, including Udo Nagel, Hamburg’s Innensenator (Interior Minister)

In his speech, Herr Jantosch thanked Craig for his support of the Hamburg Police and the fact that the Jan Fabel series of thrillers had raised the profile of the Polizei Hamburg in more than twenty countries. Craig made his acceptance speech in German, thanking the Polizei Hamburg for their support and technical advice throughout the writing of the series, and explaining his goal to portray modern Germany to British and worldwide audiences.

(Hat tip to Euro Crime.)

READ MORE:“A Sense of Time and Place: Launching the Jan Fabel Thrillers,” by Craig Russell (Shots).