LEIGH Police's new second-in-command has vowed he won't be tied to a desk and says he is determined to be a visible presence in town.

The new sub-division Chief Inspector Ian Palmer took over from former Ch Insp Ken Dickson on Monday and he is set to become a familiar sight over the coming weeks as he joins foot patrols to help him identify problems which need to be tackled.

He said: "Being in charge of the uniform policing operation cannot be done solely from the office. It must involve a certain degree of visibility and accessibility not only to the police staff but also to the public.

"So although there is quite a lot of work that has to be done in the office it is equally important that good contact is maintained out of the office."

Ch Insp Palmer is one of two chief inspectors in the sub division -- Detective Chief Inspector Ian Hilton being responsible for criminal operations.

Both chief inspectors support the Superintendent Mary Boylan in delivering policing services throughout the Leigh sub-division.

Ch Insp Palmer is specifically responsible for the delivery of uniform policing services which are the mobile patrols, foot patrols and community beat officers. In addition he supervises the operational policing unit based at Leigh.

He will also identify policing needs and make sure policing solutions to local problems are delivered.

Ch Insp Palmer joined the police force when he was 24 in 1987 as a police constable in the Trafford division at Stretford. Previously he had been a student.

And he explained to the Journal what attracted him to a career in the police.

He said: "I saw in the police a job that was extremely worthwhile, a job that would give immense personal satisfaction. It was a job that is as different and varied as there are days in the year and it was also a job that involves working with people at many levels in many different circumstances."

After five years as a PC, he was promoted to the position of Sergeant in the Collyhurst sub-division in North Manchester and in 1996 became an Inspector there.

A year later he was appointed as staff officer to the director of training at the force training school at Sedgley Park from where he was selected to be Leigh's new Chief Inspector.

Married with a young family he said: "Because I live locally I have a personal interest in making sure policing services work well."