Police Commissioner Michael DeSilva has been awarded the Colonial Police Medal (CPM) in the Queen’s Official Birthday honours, Government House announced yesterday.The award reflects Mr DeSilva’s “strong achievements in leading the Bermuda Police Service”, said a spokeswoman.Mr DeSilva became the fourth Bermuda-born person to assume the top policing role in December 2009.He started out as a cadet in 1985 before heading to Bermuda College in a bid to become a lawyer.Instead he changed his path and quickly rose through the ranks of the BPS, becoming a Sergeant at age 27 and an Inspector at 31.In 2001, he became a Chief Inspector and was appointed to the role of Superintendent five years later.In an interview with The Royal Gazette in 2008 shortly after being named Deputy Police Commissioner, Mr DeSilva stressed the importance of having high-ranking Bermudian officers on the force.Since then he has vowed to fight violent crime, particularly in light of escalating incidents of shootings on the Island. He has also given more officers front line duties through operational patrols, taking them away from office jobs.Mr DeSilva joins scores of other long-serving officers to receive the CPM. In 1964, Milton Marsh, the service’s oldest retired officer, received the honour; while in 2006, former Deputy Commissioner of Police Roseanda Young, Chief Inspector Alan Cleave and Detective Chief Inspector Andrew Boyce were awarded the medal.Government House said yesterday: “This award clearly reflects the Police Commissioner’s strong achievements in leading the Bermuda Police Service during his first 18 months on the job. The Governor congratulates him warmly.”Mr DeSilva joins seven other Bermudians honoured by Her Majesty the Queen on June 11.Garry Madeiros and Michael Butt were both made Officers of the Order of the British Empire (OBE); Carlton Adams and Eugene Vickers were named Members of Order of the British Empire (MBE); and Patti-Jean Juanette Millet, Alicia Zuill and Linda Russell were awarded Queen’s Certificates and Badges of Honour.