Top Oswestry officer steps down after 30 years

Oswestry has lost its top police officer following the retirement of Inspector Jim Stafford.

He has stepped down after 30 years in the service, and under a restructuring programme the policing of the town now becomes the responsibility of Inspector Rick Klair, who is also the inspector for North Shropshire.

Councillors today said they hoped the restructuring would not lead to the downgrading of policing in Oswestry.

Police chiefs today confirmed the Oswestry inspector's role would now be the responsibility of the inspector who covers all North Shropshire.

West Mercia Police spokesman Richard Ewels said: "Under restructuring, Inspector Klair will be able to concentrate on the day-to-day running of both Oswestry and North Shropshire rather than having to also provide regular inspector response cover for the whole of Shropshire, as he's done previously."

Councillors paid tribute to Inspector Stafford for all his hard work in the town but also sounded a note of caution about the future. Councillor Bill Benyon, one of the town's representatives on Shropshire Councillor and a long serving publican, said: "I know Jim Stafford very well because of my role as secretary of the town's LVA and as a volunteer CCTV operator.

"There are concerns now he has gone. I hope the restructuring will not downgrade the policing of Oswestry. We will have to wait and see."

Inspector Stafford's 30 years with West Mercia Police were mainly spent at Oswestry.