THE new inspector who will lead day-to-day policing in Waveney's four biggest market towns has taken charge.Suffolk-born Insp Stuart Grimsey, 36, heads up policing for Beccles, Bungay, Southwold, Halesworth and the surrounding areas.

THE new inspector who will lead day-to-day policing in Waveney's four biggest market towns has taken charge.

Suffolk-born Insp Stuart Grimsey, 36, heads up policing for Beccles, Bungay, Southwold, Halesworth and the surrounding areas.

After starting his career in 1992 with two years as a special constable in his home town of Felixstowe, Insp Grimsey climbed through the ranks, working mostly in Lowestoft and Leiston. His most recent post was inspector for the North Lowestoft safer neighbourhood team.

His appointment coincides with a change in the structure of the safer neighbourhood team (SNT) which has led to the creation of smaller, more dedicated units.

From now on, there will be one team for Beccles, Bungay and the surrounding area, and a second team covering the Southwold and Halesworth area. Each team will have a sergeant, two constables and up to three PCSOs.

Insp Grimsey, who has lived in Lowestoft for nearly a decade, said: “It's about having dedicated staff doing SNT work. Before, they quite often also did response work but now there is a separate response team they can concentrate on being out on the streets.”

He said his priority was to develop the work of the SNTs by building on the work of his predecessor, Tim Powell, who retired.

“The teams are invaluable not only by being out there on foot or bike, but by being pro-active as well,” said Insp Grimsey. “The emphasis is very much to be one of the public faces of policing, to be out there and visible. It's an important thing for me and hopefully it's something we can try to maximise. People like to know the police are out there on the streets.”

He said his other priorities included tackling low level crime, river crime, and anti-social behaviour.