Page 7 - link magazine

swindonlink.com • July 2008 7
PC Pat departs West beat

For years, she has been known affectionately as PC Pat by the whole community, including those on the wrong side of the law. After ten years
on the beat in West Swindon, Pat Salter is hanging up her handcuffs.
She began her po- tion and high tech mobile corn- Unlike many police of ficers, Pat
lice career as a cadet, munications which enable of ficers is not tempted to continueworking
working in a number to be in touch instantly wherever with the force in a civilian role. The
of locations around th - they may be. only rules she will be enforcing
county, before taking "Another big change is the huge will be on the netball court, both in
a post in Swindon in amount of equipment that we Swindon and nationally. She is one
1978. She went on to have to carry around, including of the town's top netball umpires
specialise in criminal , body armour which is very heavy, and is secretary of Swindon and
and fraud investiga- There has been a marked increase District Netball Association.
tion before returning in violence and antisocial behaviour Pat is looking forward to spend-
to community polic- across society. It's very sad to see ing more time gardening and
ing in West Swindon ,,- that some parents have lost the also has plans to travel with her
in 1998. , skills to guide their children on the husband especially to Hong Kong
During her time in right path." and Russia.
the police force, Pat has
served under six Chief
Constables and seen
tremendous changes, It's simple!
such as computensa- 1 You dro P it off

Po ice call for volunteers to sign up 2 We sell it on eBay for you
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The nature of the volunteer work newsletters and assisting the force
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Plans for police site on hold Make sure you Et Ill Ll I t -AUl
Westlea Housing Association has put back plans to develop the former Find out what makes us Swindon's favourite flexible business centre
Westlea police station site because of the current economic situation.
The Chippenham based housing ownership and the other two thirds
association bought the land adja- would be for sale. Income from the
centtoMeadWaylastyearandtheir sales is used by the not-for-profit
initial plans were displayed to the organisation to invest in future
public last October. The proposal developments.
is to build two apartment blocks Spokesman for Westlea Hous-
of affordable homes for the elderly ing, Charles Shaw, said that the
on half of the site. The other half is plans had been put on hold for the
to be used for two and three storey time being. "The current housing
houses. market means that it will be diffi-
One third of the properties were cult to make the project financially
to be available for rent or shared viable."
The remains of Westlea Police Station awaiting reuse on site or removal, next to
Westlea Fire Station. The pile will now stay in place for a lot longer than originally
envisaged

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