Shropshire Star

New police and crime commissioner for north Wales vows to tackle online crime

A new police boss has pledged to pull out all the stops to combat the growing tide of online crime.

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Andy Dunbobbin North Wales Police and Crime Commissioner pictured with Chief Constable Carl Foulkes

Andy Dunbobbin, 46, said that winning the election for North Wales Police and Crime Commissioner, succeeding the now retired Arfon Jones in the job, was the one of the proudest moments of his life.

The force he will oversee includes Chirk and the Ceiriog Valley and parts of the north Shropshire border and he says he want to build on improvements already made to rural policing.

Mr Dunbobbin said it was a family crisis that inspired him to dedicate himself to public service.

He and his wife, Louise, took in four children as kinship carers and overnight they became a family of eight.

The support they received at the time persuaded Mr Dunbobbin that he wanted to be in a position to do practical things to help other people and in 2013 he was elected to Flintshire County Council.

His profession as technical team leader for a network company saw him play a role in ensuring that the 2012 London Olympics was successfully beamed across the world to an audience measured in billions carrying out rigorous checks on the vast array of technology used by the outside broadcast units at the games.

“When there’s a challenge, I will always step up to the plate. I am rooted in the community and I want to make a positive difference in people’s lives, learning from each other and working together so that we all benefit.

“The reason I wanted to stand to become the North Wales Police and Crime Commissioner is because I know how important it is to keep families and communities safe. It really matters to people how safe and secure they are.

“Crime does not just happen on the streets any more, it also happens online and that is a massive challenge for the police. Online crime manifests itself in so many different ways, ranging from fraud to sexual exploitation and hate crime.

“The criminals are becoming more sophisticated by the day and it is vital that the police also continue to be more tech savvy. Because of my background, I am used to using really sophisticated software packages and equipment.

“We have to invest to make sure that North Wales Police has the most up-to-date technology available to them to combat online criminals. We want to future proof the force’s technology and ensure greater value for money."

“On the ground, I want to improve the visibility of North Wales Police because we all know that prevention is better than cure – a police presence provides reassurance to people.

“North Wales Police is recognised throughout the UK for the significant improvements they have made in terms of rural policing and this is something I want to build on.

“Although I live in a largely urban area, I am committed to providing the best possible policing service for the whole of North Wales, including rural areas.”

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