The police teams in Babergh and Mid Suffolk have a new district commander.

Chief inspector Andrew Mason has joined the officers working in the rural areas, which also include the towns of Stowmarket, Sudbury and Needham Market.

Ch Insp Andrew Mason said: “I am looking forward to this challenging new role. There is a need to focus on rural crime, an issue important to many people. I know it’s important that my officers are visible in rural areas, making people feel safe and providing that reassuring local contact.

“I will also make sure the quality of service we provide to local residents is first class, after all I live on the patch and I know I will be held to account if not.”

Ch Insp Mason joined Essex Police as a police constable in 1995 and transferred to Suffolk police in 2004 as a sergeant, after serving Essex for nine years.

In Ipswich he worked as a sergeant during Operation Sumac and then moved onto Sudbury. Here he worked on the response teams and later on the Sudbury and Great Cornard Safer Neighbourhood Team (SNT).

In 2009 he was promoted to inspector and worked in the role in Haverhill. In 2011 he moved to Ipswich as the Ipswich Central SNT Inspector.