Page 43 - link magazine

See us on the net @ www.swindonlink.com The Link Magazine • April 2000 43
Roger and out says irary Administrators

Abbey Meads officer Needed NOW!!

£5.50 per hour,
Popular community beat officer PC Roger Guy retires at the end of
April, having spent his last five years with the Wiltshire constabulary Central Swindon location .- I
covering North Swindon. Refusing to let him retire quietly, Link • Data entry skills required
reporter Tanya Parkinson caught up with him as he reflected on his • 8-24 week assignments
30 years in the service.
• Superb working environment
Having joined the force straight become polarised, taking things
from school, PC Guy has spent all out of all proportion, when being Call now on:
his working life as a policeman. flexible and able to mediate may 01793 615 021
His entire career has involved close have resolved a situation before it
contact with the people he has met got out of hand." PE RTE MPS
on his beats, which have covered He describes his time as beat 1 recruitment partnership
Cricklade, Highworth and most officer in North Swindon as one
recently the Northern Develop- big learning curve. "It has been an
ment. He said, "I joined the serv- eye opener looking at planning is-
ice to work with the public on a sues and very interesting watch-
daily basis and I've been lucky ing the area become established."
enough to have done that through- His final day on 23 April will be
out." tinged with sadness.
Roger has wit- "It is a good time to
nessed many dra- leave as the first phase
matic changes: of the northern devel-
jobs are no longer opment around Ab-
for life and the old bey Meads is almost
industries in Swin- complete. But I will
don have gone. miss the uniform and
"People are much the job that goes with
busier and estab- it."
lished community PC Guy is married
life has been to Anne and has four
eroded," he ob- children. He intends
served. He de- to spend more time
scribed the public with them, especially
as 'more challeng- over the summer. "I
ing' and less in- have no long-term
clined to accept things at face value. plans and will spend my retire-
"You used to be able to tell some- ment doing whatever the wife tells
body not to do something and they me, although I do intend to tackle
would stop," he mused. our back garden and spend more
One of the best aspects of his job time fishing."
has been made possible by the con- North Swindon residents will
tinuity of having always served on no doubt wish PC Guy all the best
the northern side of Swindon. "I in his retirement and thank him
now meet people I spoke to and for his efforts in making the grow-
knew as youngsters who have ing area a safe place to live. His
grown up and started families of cheery smile and his much appre-
their own. They don't often recog- ciated traditional approach to po-
nise me, but it often brings a smile licing in the community will be
when I relate back." much missed.
Being a middle of the road man, The Link would like to wish
Roger has sometimes been frus- Roger good luck and thank him
trated by his inability to prevent for the support and information
things happening. "People often he has provided.

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