A LONG serving officer and chair of the North Yorkshire Police Federation has stepped down from the force.

Sergeant Mike Stubbs has served with the force for 30 years - 25 of which he spent in North Yorkshire, and yesterday began a period of leave before his official retirement in August.

He said he hoped he had managed to help his friends and colleagues in the nine years he has spent as Deputy Secretary, Secretary and Chair of the federation, which he said had been "a privilege".

He said: "I have met one or two who didn't deserve to wear the uniform, and rightly left the service. But the overwhelming majority have been good cops, trying to do their best, who found themselves on the wrong end of a complaint or conduct investigation. Others had fallen into difficult personal circumstances."

Sgt Stubbs said he had many memories from his time on the force, especially about the officers and friends he had lost, and how he and the Federation had helped their loved ones.

He said: "The memories of Andrew Bramma, Keith Pattison, 'Harry' Spence, Tom Jackson, Mark Holland and Suzanne Asquith will stay with me.

"I hope I was able to be some support for them, and their loved ones. My lasting impression is how the police family, for that is what we truly are here in North Yorkshire, came together around each of them, and their families.

"To those I have worked with at Selby, at Acomb, on the York Community team, in the PDU at York, and here in the Federation, thank you for your friendship, your support, and for always having my back."

Sgt Stubbs will be succeeded in his role as Federation chair by Chief Inspector Rob Bowles, who he wished "all the best for the future", working with "a committed and caring team" who "do a brilliant job for our members, serving and retired".