The chairman of the Policing Board, an assistant chief constable of the PSNI and a prominent Northern journalist are among those named in the British New Year's Honours list which is released today.
The list contains some 3,000 names from all over the UK, including 41 who are Northern Ireland residents. A majority has been nominated by members of the public.
Prominent figures in public life are honoured, alongside private sector workers and community volunteers whose service is known only locally.
Prof Desmond Rea, who chairs the Policing Board, receives a knighthood in addition to the OBE he received in 1996. He is honoured for service to policing, especially since the establishment of the board he now chairs which oversees the PSNI.
However Sir Desmond, as he will be entitled to be known, is also recognised for his work in the public service over 25 years.
He was professor of human resources management at the University of Ulster until 1995 and chaired the Labour Relations Agency from 1996 until 2002. In addition he worked in a voluntary capacity for a range of bodies.
Mr Sam Kinkaid, one of the PSNI's most senior officers, receives an OBE for his 25 years' service.
He is currently conducting the investigation into the £22 million robbery at the Northern Bank headquarters in Belfast last week in his capacity as head of Crime Operations Department which was created to focus the police campaign against serious and organised crime.
Now an assistant chief constable, he served on beat and patrol duties in Belfast; Larne, Co Antrim; and Omagh, Co Tyrone. In 1987, he transferred to police headquarters before promotion to chief inspector in north Belfast, in 1994.
He was appointed detective superintendent the following year and had responsibility for all crime investigations in north Belfast and south Antrim.
He was the senior investigating officer on a number of high profile murder investigations.
In April, 2001 he was appointed assistant chief constable and last year became head of the crime department and oversaw its re-organisation into the new Crime Operations Department which includes the gathering of intelligence.
Mr John Devine, a journalist for nearly 50 years and the recently-retired northern editor of the Irish Independent, also receives an OBE.
He is a former president and general treasurer of the National Union of Journalists and began his journalistic career with the Ulster Herald in his native Omagh, Co Tyrone.
He also worked for The Irish Times, the Belfast Telegraph and the Irish Labour Party, among others.
He won the award for "Outstanding Work in Irish journalism" in the Republic in 1981.
He also has a distinguished record of voluntary work, having served for 13 years as chairman of the management committee of Bangor Citizens Advice Bureau in Co Down, and on the board and executive committee of Citizens Advice, the regional organisation for bureaux across Northern Ireland.
"In nearly 50 years in journalism I have done my best to ensure that nothing I did or said would add to the hatred and misunderstanding that exists in our society," he said yesterday.
Among the less well-known recipients honoured today by Queen Elizabeth is Mrs Elizabeth Nelis, a foster parent living in east Belfast. Since 1983 she has helped foster 39 children and is involved in training new carers and with the Belfast group of Adoption UK, where she co-ordinates training and other events.
Mrs Nelis told The Irish Times last night she "couldn't understand what the fuss was about" although admitted she was honoured.
She and her husband George have five children and have been involved in both long- and short-term fostering of children who can no longer stay with their own parents. She says her work is prompted by Christian vocation: "I feel honoured and privileged to be recognised for something I thoroughly enjoyed doing."