Message From Inspector 1144 Head

Good afternoon, everyone,

Officer recruitment is now underway. If you would like to find out more about joining Lincolnshire Police, please visit our website: 

Apply now to become a police officer | Lincolnshire Police

For residents of West Lindsey who are considering a career in policing, I am happy to offer direct advice and guidance on the application process. I can be contacted via Michael.head@lincs.police.uk.

Lincs Alert uptake continues to increase, and I would continue to urge you to encourage friends and family to sign up via the link at the bottom of this update.  I would also encourage these updates to be posted on the various community Facebook Pages to increase visibility.  

Staffing and the policing response tends to be the main issue raised in West Lindsey. To provide a clear overview of our current staffing and resource levels, I wanted to explain the structure in a bit more detail.

West Lindsey is split into nine local policing areas, known as beat codes (E.g. NC01). These are covered by one Neighbourhood Policing Team made up of one Inspector, two Sergeants, six Police Constables, and four PCSOs. The team focuses on local concerns, works with partner agencies, and looks for long‑term solutions to issues affecting communities. Unfortunately, due to the policing model when an officer is on annual leave, sickness or maternity leave we do not get anyone backfilling this role. 

In the past, each beat code had a single named officer as a point of contact within the local community, but because of team size we now operate with, officers often covered several areas. Since July/August 2025, we have changed this approach. The team is now split into two, with each team covering different parts of West Lindsey. This means there are now several named contacts for each area, making it easier for the public to get in touch and share information.

From 18 June 2026, we will also be joined by four new PCSOs. PCSOs are vital to neighbourhood policing. They help gather local intelligence, improve visibility, and build relationships in the community. Their work supports police officers in obtaining warrants and measures such as Criminal Behaviour Orders and Civil Injunctions.

Response officers provide 24/7 cover from Gainsborough and Market Rasen police stations. There are four response teams, each made up of one Sergeant and ten Police Constables. These teams attend emergency incidents that need an immediate response, as well as urgent incidents that require officers to attend quickly. Officers also manage their own investigations alongside responding to incidents.

The map included with this update shows which beat area each location falls into.

Overall responsibility for all beat areas sits with me as the Inspector (Inspector Head). Sergeant Mark Pearson and Sergeant Jason Bennett jointly oversee the teams, with Sergeant Pearson supervising Team 1 and Sergeant Bennett supervising Team 2.

Team 1 covers beat areas NC01 to NC05 and currently includes:

PCSO Leah Griffin and PCSO Harry Felstead‑Solley will be joining in June 2026.

Team 2 covers beat areas NC06 to NC09 and includes:

PCSO Marc Ireland and PCSO Rebecca Hails will be joining in June 2026. PCSO Rebecca Hails will initially be based in Gainsborough until August 2026.

Each beat area has agreed priorities, which are reviewed every three months. These priorities are set by me, using information from community surveys, feedback from parish councils and district councillors, and police data. At present, survey responses are low.

The current priorities are:

To help shape future priorities, please complete the Lincs Alert surveys. This gives you a direct voice on the issues that matter most in your area.

Each area will receive a monthly update focused on local priorities, and I will also continue to share updates about significant incidents across West Lindsey to keep communities informed and aware of our work.

To sign up to Lincs Alert please use the following link: www.lincolnshirealert.co.uk