A TRIBUTE has been paid following the death of a long-serving former police officer.

Alan Gee, who rose to the rank of inspector during more than 33 years in the force, died at home in Meadowfield, near Durham City, following an illness, aged 74.

The "voice" of Durham Police for almost a decade, he spent the previous 20 years in motor patrols on the county's road network.

He took over Press liaison duties in 1974, informing the media of incidents dealt with by police, after the Durham force underwent reorganisation.

Inspector Gee switched to the training department in 1983 before retiring in October the following year.

He joined the police in 1951, serving initially in the old County Durham boundary at Blaydon, Felling and Dunston, in the Gateshead area, now part of the Northumbria force area.

He joined the traffic section in 1955, earning promotion to sergeant in 1967, and inspector in 1970, winning chief constables' commendations twice.

The first was for work which led to the arrest of two absconders for a series of house break-ins, and the second was earned with four colleagues for catching a pair of shop burglars.

A married man, he leaves three sons, including Paul, who followed in his father's footsteps by becoming an inspector in the Durham force.

Chief Superintendent John Guest said: "I found him the sort of man you could always turn to. He was very approachable and as an experienced traffic officer clearly knew the job inside out.

"He was a strong-willed person who was not afraid to stand up for what he believed in.

"As a manager, he had the welfare of his colleagues at heart."

Mr Gee died on New Year's Eve. Funeral arrangements will be announced later.