A POLICE divisional commander is retiring -- with his deputy set to take his place.

Chief Superintendent John Thompson, 51, will step down as head of the Eastern Division, covering Blackburn, Darwen, Hyndburn and the Ribble Valley, in March.

Superintendent Dave Mallaby will take his place.

Chief Constable Paul Stephenson paid tribute to Mr Thompson and said: "We will be sad to see John leave us. He has given a lot of valuable work to policing.

"Though we are sad, his current deputy Dave Mallaby will be promoted to his position to ensure continuity. We are delighted Dave will be the new divisional commander."

Mr Thompson, 51, was appointed in June 2000 as a successor to Eddie Walsh after a varied career.

He was educated at Longridge High School and took his first job as a bobby on the beat in Rawtenstall in 1971.

After three years he moved to Preston, where he worked as a constable.

He joined the forensic science team in 1981, and from 1983 to 1986 he worked in Preston as a detective sergeant before joining the Regional Crime Squad.

A year later he was promoted to detective inspector, based in Leyland, and after two years he joined Lancashire's drug squad.

In 1991, he went back to the Regional Crime Squad as a detective chief inspector, and two years later he moved to the National Criminal Intelligence Service where he was promoted to detective superintendent.

In 1998, Mr Thompson was put in charge of the division covering Lancaster, Morecambe and Fleetwood.

He is a married father-of-two and lives in the Ribble Valley.

Blackburn MP Jack Straw also thanked Mr Thompson for his hard work and said: "He has been a very worthy successor to Eddie Walsh and given the people of the whole area a really good police service."