All change for town's police

The retirement of long-serving sergeant, Trish Reeve-Fowkes, and her replacement in the Neighbourhood Policing Team (NPT) by Sgt Dan Russell has been followed by the appointment of a second sergeant to the NPT.

She is Sgt Sarah Porter (pictured) who is a Bexhillian by birth. She said: “I’ve served with Sussex Police for 11 years, six of which have been in Rother, so I’m familiar with the area and the issues we face.

“I completed three years in Hastings, prior to moving to Battle where I worked on the response teams. I then transferred to the Roads Policing Department and worked on the unit as both a PC and Acting Sergeamt for four years before being ppromoted to Battle NPT.

“Since then I have worked at both Battle and Bexhill within various roles supporting the NPTs, but it is now nice to be part of a team whereby I can work with the officers to make a difference.”

Sgt Porter said that while working closely with Sgt Russell, her main areas of responsibility would be Central, Sackville, Old Town and St Michael’s wards in Bexhill.

Here, too, there has been a change with PC Roy Warren leaving the Central ward beat he has undertaken for several years to concentrate instead on Sackville, Old Town and St Michael’s.

Affectionately known as “Bunny”, PC Warren will be succeeded in the town centre by PC Jason Kemp, who has previously helped police Little Common.

All can be contacted via the Sussex Police number - 0845 60 70 999 - or by e-mail: [email protected], [email protected] or [email protected]

A new Rother police commander is due to succeed Chief Inspector Heather Keating next month. She is moving on to join Special Branch, and in her place will come Chief Inspector Trevor Botting, currently serving with the Tactical Firearms unit at Sussex Police headquarters.