A NEW post has been created within Gloucestershire police force to look after the specific interests of older people in the county.

Retired senior police officer Phil Sullivan MBE has been given a pivotal role in making Gloucestershire a better place for older people.

He has been appointed as lead co-ordinator for the ‘Older but not overlooked’ section of Commissioner Martin Surl’s Police and Crime Plan which focuses on older people.

Phil, 65, was divisional commander for Gloucestershire Police at Gloucester City and later, at Cheltenham and Tewkesbury. More recently he has been working in community safety as head of service at Stroud District Council and was chair of a number of hate crime and domestic and sexual violence groups for Gloucestershire, Stroud and the Cotswolds.

He has been a member of the Adult and Child Protection Boards for Gloucestershire and has also served as chair of Age Concern, Gloucester. In addition, he was chair of Help the Aged/Age Concern Gloucestershire and was instrumental in setting up this joint committee involving both organisations.

“I am delighted to have been asked by Martin to co-ordinate the Older but not overlooked priority of his plan”, said Phil.

“Having been involved in Policing in Gloucestershire over many years and more recently working in community safety at Stroud District Council, I look forward to using my skills and experience to the benefit of our communities throughout the county”.

Police and crime commissioner Martin Surl said: “Phil has a wealth of knowledge from working with older people and I am delighted he has agreed to join my team.”