Spotlight - PCSO Damian Okonkwo.
Damian was born in Lambert in October 1963, his mother was a midwife and his father an electrical engineer and he has 2 brothers and 2 sisters. He went to primary school in the South east. But at the age of 5 he went back to Nigeria with his parents.
Damian had a diverse religious upbringing, as his father was a Catholic and his mother a Protestant he attended both churches on Sundays. He would go to St Dominic's Catholic Church for Mass with his father at 6am and later at 11am he would attend the C and S (Cherubim and Seraphim) church with his mother. The latter service often lasted for 3 hours. On Fridays Damian sometimes went to the Mosque with his friends as the mosque and Churches co exist alongside each other in Nigeria.
Damian was 17 years old when he came back to London to continue his education, his mother came back later but his father stayed in Nigeria.
After good A level results, Damian attended Coventry University to study micro electronics. He graduated and took a professional IT course with the Ford Motor Company in Dagenham and as a Robotic technician he travelled around Europe.
Damian is an active member in the C and S church in East London and helped project manage the rebuilding of his church after it was damaged by fire. His youth leadership role gave him the opportunity to look after 20 youths and become their role model in East London, organizing football matches and outings etc. He still manages a football team made up from lads in the church and community. Damian enjoys this very much as his way of contributing towards youth crime diversions.
Damian married in 1987 and has 3 children, 2 daughters aged 20 and 9 years old and a son who is 14 yrs old. The extensive travel (around Europe) affected his family life and he felt that his children were missing their father. Having seen an ad for PCSO (Police Community Support Officer) he applied and commenced employment in 2002, a role he says he enjoys greatly especially his involvement in local issues and youth mentoring.
After training which included an NDC youth project appointment he was posted to the North End NDC Hammersmith and Fulham Safer Neighbourhood Police Team whose beat includes St Andrew's church. Damian often pops in to say hello. I remember the first time I met Damian, it was on a Tuesday coffee morning and he cycled into the church yard, introduced himself and chatted to all the people at the event. He visits often for a cup of tea and gives his support to the Homelessness Project. He has had a PCSO stall at both the 2007 and 2008 church fairs showing videos and handing out leaflets.
He is a very good listener, always willing to help and owes his excellent social skills to his multi religious upbringing.
We are very privileged to have Damian as a friend of St Andrew's. Damian is our Police Community Support Officer attached to the North End Safer Neighbourhood Police Team. For all community issues please contact your Neighbourhood police team on 0207 161 0166 Email: northend.SNT@met.police.uk.