A CADET turned senior officer is to retire after 32 years of service in the police.

Middlesbrough District Commander Steve Swales will call it a day next month after working his way up through the ranks.

He has served as an officer in three out of the four territorial districts in Cleveland Police, taking over as Middlesbrough commander in 2005, following senior roles in Hartlepool and Redcar and Cleveland districts.

"All of my service has been in frontline duties, either in uniform or crime, and I wouldn't have wanted it any other way," said Superintendent Swales.

"I joined the police to serve and make a difference, and for me that meant working directly in the communities."

The former Eston Grammar and Bydales School pupil's role as commander for Middlesbrough has seen a turn-around in the performance of the district, the introduction of neighbourhood policing, the move to the new headquarters and a promise to confront anti-social behaviour and drugs.

He said: "I am extremely proud of what we have achieved in the past two-and-a-half years. There is nowhere else in the country that has improved as much as we have.

"It has been a team effort, and the people of Middlesbrough have a policing team of which they can be proud.

"That said, I have told my officers and staff that there can be no let up and much still remains to be done."

The search is now on in Cleveland Police to find his successor