Top cop leads by example

Jan 31 2008 by Neil Mckay, The Journal

A POLICE chief in the North found himself in the front line of the action when he went out with his officers on a rural beat.

Jon Stoddart, chief constable of the Durham force, was the first on the scene when a man was attacked with what is believed to be a shovel handle in his own home

Mr Stoddart, accompanied by beat officers and local county councillor John Shuttleworth, went out on patrol in Weardale on Friday night. And he helped to deal with the incident in which four people are suspected of launching a vicious attack on the householder in Stanhope.

The victim of the assault, a man in his 40s, sustained facial injuries including a broken cheekbone. Two men and two youths were arrested in connection with the incident.

Mr Stoddart modestly refrained from talking about his own part in the arrest, but he did praise the “rapid response” of his officers who dealt with what the chief constable described as “a particularly nasty assault” in Stanhope.

He said: “Within 10 minutes police reinforcements had arrived from Stanhope and from Crook. The situation was dealt with very professionally. It was unusual for an incident like this to take place in Weardale, which is one of the safest places in the country. But I hope the speed in which this incident was dealt with reassured John Shuttleworth.

“He seemed to think Weardale was under-policed but I was in no doubt that the police cover there was excellent, and spending Friday night on the beat only served to emphasise that point of view.”

Mr Stoddart paid a special tribute to Stanhope beat bobby Frank Hewison, saying: “Frank has been in Weardale for around 30 years and he has an unrivalled local knowledge. He is a huge asset to the force and to the area.”

Coun Shuttleworth said: “The rapid response to the Stanhope incident was reassuring and the chief constable was the first officer inside the house after the attack was reported, which impressed me.”