Burnham-On-Sea and Highbridge’s new police inspector is hoping to boost the number of local police volunteers in the two towns.
Burnham-On-Sea.com was first to report earlier this month that Roger Tolley had returned to Burnham after working as the Inspector in Taunton for the past two and a half years.
He has already identified his key priorities for the near future, which include boosting effective two-way communication with the public, stamping out anti-social behaviour, and further developing the Partners and Communities Together (PACT) process.
And this week, Inspector Tolley said he is keen to boost the number of police volunteers in our area.
He told Burnham-On-Sea.com: “Each week, the current volunteers working for Avon and Somerset Police give a total of more than five days – or 130 hours – of their collective time so officers can spend more time on the streets and better support the community. They are absolutely brilliant and we would like to hear from anyone interested in volunteering.”
“Volunteering provides a unique opportunity for individuals to use their skills, experience and local knowledge to make a positive contribution in their community by supporting the work of the Constabulary.”
Inspector Tolley added that volunteer roles include admin support, police post support volunteers, car crime volunteers, training role player volunteers, puppy socialising volunteers, in addition to Special Constables.
He added: “It is important that the community talks to us. I encourage them to come forward with information about what is happening in their area. I would also encourage them to contact me if they feel that their local police are not delivering the quality of service they expect. Constructive feedback, both positive and negative, helps us to continue to improve our service.”
“The dialogue between local residents and police is vital to ensure that we all have a healthy understanding of the needs and expectations of the community, so that we can continue to live and work in a really safe area.”
Roger lives in Burnham-On-Sea and has been in the Avon and Somerset Constabulary almost 30 years, starting as a PC in Bristol and more recently working in Taunton and Bridgwater. He left Burnham to work in Taunton in April 2007.
Roger has previously been awarded both the Constabulary’s Long Service and Good Conduct Medal and the Queen’s Police Jubilee Award.
