Wellington's new neighbourhood police Sgt has taken up his role.

Sgt Jon O'Connor assumed the role following the departure of his predecessor, Sgt Kat Forrest, and he has already been out on foot patrol.

Addressing a Wellington Town Council meeting, Sgt O'Connor said: "I’d like to begin by introducing myself, having taken over the role of Neighbourhood Sergeant for Wellington earlier this month.

"I’d also like to take the opportunity of commending the excellent work of my predecessors Kat Forrest and Dan Bishop who have both created a team fully entrenched within the community with whom I now have the pleasure of working."

While serving as a police constable, Sgt O'connor worked side-by-side with Kat Forrest when they were both part of the Taunton Neighbourhood Policing Team. Then PC O'Connor was formerly part of the Halcon One Team, which prioritises tackling antisocial behaviour.

Sgt O'Connor said his extensive experience had made him a 'strong advocate for local community policing.'

"I have been a Police Officer for 18 years with the majority of my service spent in Neighbourhood Policing across Taunton and more recently Bridgwater.

"As a result, I am a strong advocate for local, community policing and partnership working. In particular I was pivotal in the creation of the original One Team in Taunton and I am keen to strengthen multi-agency, early-intervention work in Wellington for both safeguarding and crime prevention within our communities."

Sgt O'Connor told the meeting he had already late evening foot patrols in the town, and committed to work with the street pastors in monitoring the streets at night. He also took the opportunity to warn of the threat of opportunistic thefts and advised against leaving windows open as the weather hots up:

"I had the opportunity of conducting my first foot patrols within the town centre on a late shift weekend and I was pleased at the overall look and feel of the night-time economy in Wellington, engaging with licensees and those on their way home after an evening out.

"We will continue to work side by side with the street pastors to ensure Wellington is and feels safe for everyone wishing to enjoy the town’s amenities.

"With the warmer weather it is very common for people to have doors and windows open more frequently, but I would just like to remind everyone of the importance of securing properties before leaving, even for a short period.

"This dramatically reduces the risk of becoming the victim of an opportunist thief and makes a property a far less appealing target."