March 2010 - Adobe PDF - Stockton-on-Tees Borough Council

news
Community
<strong>Stockton</strong>
Safety
Page 15
New heads at the helm
It’s all change at the top for Cleveland
Police and Cleveland Fire Brigade.
Superintendent Darren Best is
<strong>Stockton</strong>’s new District Commander
taking over from Dave Brunskill who
recently retired from the force.
It’s not just the Police who have a new face at the top. Ian
Hayton (pictured below) has recently stepped into the role
of Cleveland Fire Brigade’s new fire chief.
Dave Brunskill joined <strong>Stockton</strong>’s police team in April 2004
as Operations Superintendent. In July 2005 he was made
District Commander.
During his tenure Dave worked tirelessly to make <strong>Stockton</strong>
a safer place and crime in the Borough reduced by 41 per
cent, from 20,534 recorded crimes in 2003/4 to 12,000 - the
projected figure for 2009/10.
As well as being a leading player in driving crime down
to levels not seen since the 1970s, Dave has been fully
committed to working with colleagues from the Council
and other public sector bodies to improve and promote
the economic, environmental and social well-being of the
Borough of <strong>Stockton</strong>.
Darren Best takes over from Dave as District Commander
after spending two years with Professional Standards at
Police Headquarters. Before this he was a Detective Chief
Inspector based in <strong>Stockton</strong>.
Living and working in the Borough has given him a unique
insight for his new role, he said: “I am looking
forward to the challenges ahead and building
on the successes of the team in <strong>Stockton</strong>. Crime
levels have been reduced and I want to keep the
momentum going to make sure that we keep
the public’s confidence and belief in what we
do.
Born and raised on Teesside, Ian promises to build upon
the excellent work of his predecessor John Doyle, with an
innovative, creative and proactive approach to community
safety.
The first challenge, he said, will be to deliver better
outcomes for local people and to design fire brigade
services to meet the community’s needs and demands.
Ian said: “This is an enormous and hugely exciting
challenges; and I am confident that, with everybody’s
support, we can achieve more for our local communities.”
Picture shows Dave Brunskill (left) shaking the
hand of his successor, District Commander for
<strong>Stockton</strong>, Darren Best (right).
Mike Batty, <strong>Stockton</strong> Council’s Head of
Community Safety, said: “Over the past
six years Dave Brunskill has worked
with dedication and enthusiasm. It
is testament to his commitment to
the Safer <strong>Stockton</strong> Partnership that
he leaves <strong>Stockton</strong> in a secure
position as the title holder of
safest place to live in the Tees
Valley. We wish Dave Brunskill
every happiness in his retirement
and we very much look forward
to working with Darren in his new
role.”