A TWO-YEAR wait for promotion has ended for Sedgefield's new crime manager.

Detective Chief Inspector Colin Pearson, 45, has taken over from Detective Chief Inspector Jeff Watson as head of Newton Aycliffe CID.

In his new role he will be responsible for an area including Aycliffe, Sedgefield, Ferryhill, Shildon and Spennymoor.

The married father of a seven-year-old son is a former police cadet with 26 years of police service.

Det Chief Insp Pearson was previously in community safety at the Durham Constabulary headquarters in Durham,

Previously, he served as a detective inspector in Darlington for two years, and was seconded to the drugs wing of the regional crime squad in Middlesbrough for a time.

Det Chief Insp Pearson, who lives in Darlington, said: "It has been frustrating waiting nearly two years, but all of us who were successful that time around knew we could have a long wait."

He hopes to develop the successful partnership approach with councils, Neighbourhood Watch, Victim Support and other community groups.

"There is a lot of good work that has been carried out here in the past, and I am looking forward to the challenge of continuing that," he said.

"There is still quite a lot of work to do. If we have one crime, that is one crime too many for me, so there is a significant amount to do.

"I will be trying to improve the service that we give our local community, concentrating in areas such as house burglary, domestic violence, vehicle crime, drugs and anti-social behaviour.