A POLICE officer is preparing to walk a different beat when he takes over as High Wycombe town centre's main officer.

John Blankenback, 31, has been promoted from a role as a Detective Constable at Amersham CID and will be the sergeant in charge of keeping High Wycombe safe.

Sgt Blankenback says he is looking forward to working with the different groups involved in the town centre.

He said: 'I can't wait. It will be a very different role to the one I am fulfilling at Amersham.

'I am looking forward to working with other partners in the town with the aim of reducing crime and making Wycombe a safer place.'

Sgt Blankenback, who started his police career at Bracknell seven years ago, said he was also looking forward to being a part of the Wycombe Watch project which brings retailers, pubs and the police together to make the town a more attractive place.

Former Town Centre officer Sgt Bill Snelling, who spent two and a half years in the job, said: 'It is a very intense job. I will miss it dreadfully.

'But I saw this opportunity to go on to the Family Protection Unit at Marlow. I leave with an awful lot of soul-searching.'

Insp George Wrigley, said: 'It is a tough job and a lot will be expected of him but his approach to policing has a lot of promise.'