RURAL Northumberland’s newest police officer has left life in the big city – and pledged to tackle organised crime in the countryside.

Sgt Ian Pattison spoke about his excitement at joining the team, whose patch covers Prudhoe, Ponteland and the wider area, and his dedication to supporting the area and policing issues impacting residents.

He said: “Being part of a neighbourhood team is quite unique. You really get to engage with the public and find out what issues and concerns they have.

“Northumbria Police have a huge rural community to police and protect, and the crimes and issues that affect those communities can be very different from those that impact other areas within the force.”

Sgt Pattison is familiar with the patch having previously worked on burglary operations in the area, carrying out a variety of police tactics including covert operations to bring offenders before the courts.

He joins the local neighbourhood team from a neighbourhood and crime background after working on policing in Wallsend.

Sgt Pattison joined Northumbria Police in 2009 as part of the Morpeth response unit and has big plans going forward for his team.

He added: “I’m impressed by the experience and the enthusiasm of the team I’m joining and I look forward to bringing that same dedication into our policing going forward.

“By working together with residents and partners we can continue to help tackle crime and issues in our communities.

“We want to continue to build trust and confidence in the policing service we provide.

“I want to ensure residents feel valued and listened to and to continue to build on the strong relationships we have with partners and the local authority.”