PC Nick Daffern took over the beat at North Devon District Hospital this week (17 Aug).
He succeeds Bob Tollafield, who is moving onto other duties after three years helping patients, visitors and staff.
PC Daffern has been in the force for 17 years, mainly in community policing roles and on patrol in Bideford and Barnstaple. He has worked the last four years on a small plain-clothes crime and drugs unit.
He will take on a community policing role at the hospital, safeguarding and reassuring the 2,000-3,000 people who come in every day. He has an on-site office.
PC Daffern said: “I’ll be maintaining high-visibility patrols to deter criminal activity and reassure both employees and general public alike. It’s all about policing in partnership with Northern Devon Healthcare.”
The Trust’s Director of Facilities, Iain Roy, added: “We’re very pleased to welcome Nick to the hospital, to take up the job that Bob Tollafield as done so well. “The hospital is a friendly place and certainly isn’t a high crime area, but it’s good to have an experienced PC around to keep things calm and to handle anything that does happen.”
Note to editors: PC Daffern will be available for photographs at the hospital site at 12pm on Tuesday 14 August. Please come to main reception.