Pc Tony Pain became hate crime officer in Swansea in 2002

Pc Tony Pain, 49, receives the award as part of the New Year Honours and after 28 years with South Wales police.

He worked for five years supporting victims of racial and homophobic crime before taking on a new post in February working with diverse communities.

Pc Pain said his work had been about "breaking down barriers".

In 2002, he became Swansea's first hate crime officer, until February this year when he became the force's policy officer for community cohesion.

"I dealt with victims and saw the big impact such crimes can have on victims as they feel they have been targeted because of who they are," he said.

'Overwhelmed'

"It is about recognising the impact these crimes have on people.

"I dealt with one family of asylum seekers who initially settled well in their community but then began to suffer vandalism and damage to their property and it became a personal campaign.

"We talked to them and gave them support such as putting in an attack alarm and speaking to the children's school to make the staff aware."

Pc Pain said part of his current job involves working with groups such as migrant workers and other community groups to ensure an understanding of the law and how the police can support them.

"I work with divisional hate crime officers and neighbourhood policing teams making sure people know we are here to help them."

He said he was "overwhelmed" by the honour.

"The letter arrived at my home out of the blue and when I opened it I couldn't believe it, I thought it must be for someone else," he said.

"I feel very honoured."

South Wales Police deputy chief constable Peter Vaughan said Pc Pain's career had been "exemplary"