Acting Sergeant Barry Abbott is a new addition to the Stowmarket Safer Neighbourhood Team (SNT).

Barry is primarily going to be covering Sergeant Neil Paterson as he recovers from an injury and will be covering the town centre and Combs Fors areas of town. Arriving in Stowmarket late last year after some time spent at the Roads Policing unit, Barry has actually come full circle after beginning his policing career in Stowmarket in 2001.

Barry has also worked as a Response officer as well as a Tactical Firearms officer in Bury St Edmunds where his role included armed response for the county. However, Barry got his first taste of community policing during a posting in Elmswell in 2003. He says, “I thoroughly enjoyed the community-based approach to policing and dealing with day-to-day issues that were fundamental to people’s quality of life. I learned a lot about working with local partners such as schools and councils which is integral to the pro-active problem solving we do every day in the Safer Neighbourhood Team.”

A/Sgt Barry Abbott has lived and worked in the Mid-Suffolk area most of his adult life and therefore has a very personal interest in the area. He adds, “Being so familiar with the local community, I’m looking forward to making a positive impact on the policing of Stowmarket and taking pride in doing so.”

Stowmarket SNT is currently focussing on anti-social behaviour in areas of the town centre and anti-social use of motor vehicles, which are both areas of concern that have been raised by the public at Community Tasking Meetings. The next meeting is on Thursday 4th March at 10am-11am at the Town Council Offices, Milton Road South, Stowmarket.

You can meet the team every Saturday between 11.30am-1pm outside the United Reform Church on Ipswich Street. Alternatively the SNT can be contacted on 01284 774 100 or stowmarket.snt@suffolk.pnn.police.uk