THE new boy at Sturminster Newton is hoping he can re-open the town's police station.

Canadian-born Alan Jenkins has recently taken over as section commander at Sherborne - which makes him the inspector for Sturminster Newton.

He served 10 years in Merseyside Police where he specialised in fighting drug trafficking before moving south.

He's also very experienced in public order policing and race relations work.

But after spells in larger Dorset towns and secondment to the national police training centre at Harrogate and his most recent job in Bridport, he's in North Dorset.

"Sturminster Newton is very fortunate in its police officers," he said. "They make an impact on the community and have the local knowledge which counts for so much. They have a vested, personal interest because they live in the area.

"Sturminster is one of the safest and nicest places in Dorset and indeed the country to live.

"But the force has shown by the recent anti-social behaviour order that even in small rural towns anti-social behaviour will not be tolerated."

Insp Jenkins said he was looking to develop closer links with colleagues in Somerset. "Criminals don't recognise the borders so neither should we," he said.

And he wants to re-open Sturminster's police station if possible.

"That is being looked at," he said.

His other specialisms might seem to some beside the point in rural Dorset but he would disagree.

Insp Jenkins trains senior officers throughout the South West in public order policing.

And there are 250 trained riot police in Dorset because every force has to be ready to come to the aid of every other force as they are needed.

But gone are the days of heavy-handed policing at political demos.

"We very much now want to work with the demonstrators," he said.

He is also clear that race relations are important here as ethnic minority communities grow.

"There's an incorrect perception that Dorset is still overwhelmingly 'white'," he said. "This is not the case - Dorset is multi-cultural and multi-faith.

"Unfortunately studies show that isolated minority ethnic communities in some cases suffer more discrimination than in areas where they have a lot of support networks.

"The investigation of racial incidents is very much a high priority," he added.

Sherborne's former section commander, Nick Budden, has been promoted and moved to Bournemouth.

First published: October 3