Chief Inspector with 18 years' experience takes command of Newcastle
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Newcastle local policing team (LPT) has welcomed a new Commander with almost two decades of policing experience.
Chief Inspector Darren McGrath has taken on the role recently vacated by Superintendent John Owen, who is now County Commander covering all areas outside of Stoke-on-Trent.
He will be working alongside Deputy Commander Inspector James Howard in Newcastle.
The 41-year-old is Staffordshire born and bred and for him policing is somewhat of a ‘family business’– his father was a Staffordshire Police officer for 27 years.
Chief Inspector McGrath arrives in Newcastle having joined the force 18 years ago. He previously worked as a response and neighbourhood sergeant for three years in the town centre.
He brings a wealth of experience having worked across specialist criminal investigations, football policing, counter-terrorism and within local policing in Stoke-on-Trent.
His most recent post was Deputy Commander for the Mooorlands.
He said: “I’m incredibly proud to have made this move to serve the people of Newcastle and I’m looking forward to leading an excellent team of officers with great local knowledge and police staff, as well as local partners, to deliver the best possible policing service.
“I will be focusing on the basics, with officers in the community tackling and solving crimes and engaging with our communities to ensure their concerns are listened to and that we effectively tackle local issues and deliver on key priorities for the area.
“Reducing domestic assaults and violence against women and girls is a focus, bringing the most serious offenders to justice quickly and working with those partners to reduce offending and safeguard victims.
“As is swift and positive action for those involved in repeat offences, such as burglary and vehicle crime; making sure we know who our priority offenders are and arresting them before they escalate.
“Vehicle-related anti-social behaviour (ASB) is another key priority. Nuisance bikes cause misery for residents across the area and this kind of behaviour is simply unacceptable and it will not be tolerated.
"We will continue to tackle the issue and employ effective and robust tactics to track, locate and deal with suspects.”