A LONG serving, respected member of Devon and Cornwall Police is retiring after 32 years on the beat. But instead of relaxing and enjoying the fact that he never has to work again, Tavistock resident Simon Dell, 48, will be joining the local police station as a special constable. Some people cannot wait to retire but Simon is just not ready to say goodbye to the force. He will leave his current position on Friday, August 31, will become the Crime Beat co-ordinator on September 4, and, on October 19, begin his new position as a special constable at Tavistock. He joined the force in 1975 at Launceston Police Station and came to Tavistock in 1976 as a police cadet then came back in 1980 as a PC. He left 17 years later to take up training constables and special constables in East Cornwall. In 1997 Simon received an MBE for service to community policing and then in 2001 received the Queen's Commendation for Bravery for saving a man and his son from a house fire in Callington. But because of the injuries he sustained during the rescue, Simon was taken off policing and from then on has worked for the two High Sheriffs in Devon and Cornwall. Simon has also been involved with Crime Beat which gets children from schools and colleges involved with crime prevention. Then in 2002 Simon received two national accolades for police bravery ? the Daily Mirror?s ?The Pride of Briton? award and the Sun?s ?National Police? award. When Simon is not policing he is an active member of Dartmoor Search and Rescue Group, and has been for 20 years. He has also written six books on policing history and Dartmoor Prison. His first, published in 1997, was entitled ?The Beat on Western Dartmoor?. When asked why he has opted for a busy retirement, Simon said: ?I joined the police force at the age of 16 as a cadet and I don?t feel I?m due to stop yet. ?I want to give something back to the community. I?m not ready to stop policing yet ? Mrs Dell doesn?t want me to,? he joked. ?I?m pleased to come back as a special constable in Tavistock. That?s where I enjoyed working and I?m really looking forward to helping out the neighbourhood beat team.? l Simon is pictured right.
