WESTBURY Neighbourhood Policing Team (NPT) is now at full strength after two new officers started this month.
PCs Jo Philpott and Darren Foulger became the Westbury Town and Westbury Rural Community beat managers from Monday 12th October respectively.
The NPT had been understrength since the untimely death of rural beat manager PC Mike Johnson in August. The former town beat manager, PC Nick Holt, has also moved on to work for Wiltshire CID.
Jo Philpott comes to the NPT after six-and-a-half years in the police force, much of that time spent in Westbury working as a response officer.
She said, “I’ve never done any NPT work before, I’ve always been on general police duties, so I’m apprehensive but looking forward to it. I was asked by my boss if I’d be interested and I thought I’d go for it.
“I do know the town quite well, and I’m looking forward to meeting all of the relevant people. I’ve got two brilliant PCSOs (police community support officers) to work with, and I’m looking forward to the challenge. Nick [Holt] did such a good job I know I have a lot to live up to.”
Darren Foulger, who has been a police officer for seven years, has previously worked as a beat manager in Salisbury, before working as a response officer in Warminster.
He said, “I’ve worked as a beat manager before but never in a rural community. I was attracted to the job because it’s very different from working a community beat in a large town or city. Working over the five villages of the beat there is a wider range of people in those villages.”
“Mike Johnson was a very high achiever in the parishes and hopefully I’ll carry on his good work. My policing style may be slightly different to Mike’s, but hopefully that will be in my favour.
“Lukas [Breedt, Westbury Rural PCSO] is very dedicated and I’m looking forward to working with him. I’m looking forward to it and getting stuck in.”
Read an update from the NPT team on page. . . .
