It is with heavy heart that I announce this will be my final column as I am venturing off to exciting pastures new, taking up a secondment with the College of Policing as a leadership trainer.

I will take with me not only my experience, but an array of incredibly fond memories of policing the Isle of Wight.

I became a police officer in 1989, and becoming the Isle of Wight’s District Commander in 2015 has been one of my proudest achievements.

To lead the incredibly dedicated police team here on the Isle of Wight, a place where I grew up, has been a huge privilege, but I know the job of keeping the Island safe is in very capable hands.

As we see the re-introduction of regulations on wearing face coverings in shops and on public transport, I wanted to re-iterate that the police approach to these regulations will be very much the same as before, with a focus on engaging, explaining and encouraging people to play their part in limiting the spread of the virus, and enforcing only where necessary and proportionate.

We will also continue to respond to incidents where individuals are violent or abusive towards retail or transport staff, or members of the public.

Moving on to some positive policing updates.

Police officers and staff, as well as members of the public, were awarded at a ceremony I hosted last month, and it was so lovely to be able to do this in person.

Recognised were incredible acts of bravery, courage and selfless commitment in the face of extreme adversity or danger.

Their actions put public safety first before all else, and everyone who received an award should be extremely proud, as I am.

The South Wight team held their first ever Policing and Community Day at The Bay CE School, Sandown, on Saturday, November 13.

It was a roaring success with more than 700 people coming to meet with police and our partners, which is fantastic to see.

The Isle of Wight Investigation Team has had recent success securing charges for a number of individuals in November.

This includes 23-year-old Megan Durham, charged in relation to a serious assault in Shanklin involving a chisel, and 23-year-old Lachen Downs who was charged following a racially aggravated assault on a man in Ryde.

In addition, Simon Cant, 37, of Church Road in Wootton was charged with drugs offences after police seized a quantity of pills during a stop check, and following address searches.

Wishing everyone a very Merry Christmas.