INSPECTOR Mark Henderson was recently appointed as the new local policing inspector for Barry.

The 46-year-old has 22 years of policing experience and has been with South Wales Police for the last 17 years.

The majority of Insp Henderson’s career has been working in Cardiff as a detective in CID and the public protection unit.

The Rhondda native is delighted to take up the role of Barry inspector in charge of local policing, community support officers and neighbourhood beat managers in the town.

He said: “I have been out and about meeting members of the community who have given me a very warm welcome to the area.

“For a lot of my officers, Barry is not only their place of work but also where they live with their families.

“In the short few weeks I have been the Barry Inspector, it is clear to see that this is a place with there is a deep rooted sense of community and I hope to continue building those relationships with residents and partners.

“This community was understandably shocked by the death of a young man in the area and has shown great strength in coming together to show support for the family of Harry Baker by holding a balloon vigil recently.

“This weekend, I will be taking part in my first big event as inspector as I join many others as part of the first parade for Barry Pride.

“It should be a fantastic day for all the community and a great opportunity for me to talk to as many residents as possible.

“There are challenges to policing a large town such as Barry, in particular the night-time economy and Barry Island which receives thousands of visitors a year.

“We will continue to protect the most vulnerable, focus on the night-time economy, tackle serious violence and anti-social behaviour.

“My officers have been carrying out work on ASB hotspots in the town and working with young people in the community to tackle these issues.

“I can assure residents that we won’t be taking our foot off the gas and will keep focusing on dealing with your concerns, especially in relation to ASB issues, which I know can be extremely distressing for residents.

“We as police officers can’t do our job to protect the community without working together; we need you to work with us and help us to ensure Barry remains a safe, vibrant place to live and work.

“Please keep telling us about your concerns so that we can take action.

“It is a real privilege to be the Barry Inspector - I will be doing all I can to make a real difference and I know I have a great team who will help me do that.”