PICTURED is Jeff Smith, the new police inspector at Caldicot station replacing Inspector Marc Budden, who has recently been seconded to Abergavenny.

Serving himself in Abergavenny for the past 15 months, Inspector Smith tells the Free Press of his plans for his new station.

"My objective is to build on the excellent work being carried out in the Caldicot Section, where crime has been reduced by 32 percent," says the inspector. "This is a fantastic achievement and a testament to the hard work put in by officers and staff in the section."

Inspector Smith says that the newly-introduced Neighbourhood Policing team at Magor, who will offer ward-based policing and work closely with the community, will strive to improve residents' quality of life.

He said: "I would like to reassure residents that irrespective of any future changes to the policing map of Wales, they will continue to receive a locally based and locally delivered quality of service.

"I am looking forward to working with our partner agencies both directly and through the Severnside Community Safety Action Team (CSAT), adopting a multi-agency approach to find sustainable, long-term solutions to community issues."

Inspector Smith added: "This is an exciting time for me as I anticipate and focus on the challenges associated with policing Caldicot and the Severnside Area."