Policeman plans his retirement (From Barry And District News)

Policeman plans his retirement

SUPERINTENDENT Colin Jones, divisional commander for the Vale of Glamorgan is retiring from the Police Force after 34-years service.

He joined the former Glamorgan Police Force on March 31, 1969, Having completed his initial training at the Regional Training Centre, which was then located in Bridgend, he was posted to Barry in the August of that year.

The Divisional Police Headquarters at Gladstone Road, Barry, had opened earlier that year following the closure of the three other police stations in the town at Shiphill, Weston Hill and Court Road, where the new multi-storey car park is situated.

The majority of the first two years of his probationary period were spent on uniformed foot patrol throughout the Barry area.

Having been born and brought up in the Pontypridd area he quickly adapted to his new surroundings and eventually married and settled in the town.

He told the News: "I joined at a time when radios and panda cars had just been introduced.

Prior to this, officers would patrol on foot and contact their police station by means of public telephone kiosks.

Whilst I'm sure many people would like to see a return to those days, one has to be realistic and in order to cope with the increase in work load, these changes were necessary."

Supt Jones has spent the majority of his service within the Criminal Investigation Unit and almost half his service had been spent within the Vale of Glamorgan Division.

He was appointed as a detective constable in the Serious Crime Squad on its inauguration in September 1975 and returned to head this unit, as a Detective Superintendent in December 1990, until he took up his current role in November 1995.

Supt Jones said: "I intend taking some holidays before deciding as to my future plans but I know I shall be actively engaged in my pastimes as a committee man with the RNLI, St John's Ambulance, Rotary, and as a Governor at the Barry College.