A NEW deputy police commander has been appointed for Slough.

Chief Inspector Mark Spencer has been appointed to the local policing area (LPA) to take over from Gavin Wong, who was promoted to Superintendent, LPA commander for Slough following the departure of Supt Simon Bowden.

Ch Insp Spencer will take on his role from July 1, and Inspector Mark Lynch will take on the role as Acting Deputy LPA commander in the interim.

Ch Insp Spencer joined Thames Valley Police in June 1997 as a police constable working in the Royal Borough of Windsor and Maidenhead.

After approximately five years of working in various roles - response, neighbourhood policing and crime investigation - Mark moved to Slough on promotion as sergeant working on shift and in custody before moving across to CID.

After a few years at Slough, Mark left for Bracknell where he continued to work in CID, returning to Slough again in 2007. In 2010, he moved across to High Wycombe on promotion to detective inspector and in 2013 he was seconded to HQ as a business lead for a large change programme.

In January 2014, Mark moved across to Reading as detective chief inspector.

Speaking about his new appointment, he said: "I am really excited about the new role. It is a privilege to have been given it.

“Not only do I know Slough from a policing perspective but I previously lived there and went to a local secondary school, so I have a real affinity for it.

“I’m looking forward to working together with the local communities, partners and all the amazing staff at Slough to help continue their great work in growing the area as a place of opportunity and ambition, whilst keeping it one of the safest places in the Thames Valley.”

When informing staff of the changes in his senior management team, Supt Wong said: "Mark has spent a considerable amount of his career working at Slough and knows it very well and I’m very glad that he is joining our team."