A POLICE officer who ‘couldn’t believe he got paid to do this dream job’ is set to retire after 30 years in the force.

Sgt Dave Sherrington said his career, which included 20 years in East Lancashire, had had ‘fantastic’ variety.

MORE TOP STORIES:

He has had several roles from working in custody, booking in thousands of prisoners, to being part of a response team.

The 57-year-old has led the Darwen Neighbourhood Policing Team for the last four years and said the town had been his favourite place to work out of all his bases in the county.

He said: “I first came to Darwen in 1997 and then worked in Blackburn for a few years.

“I was really pleased to be asked back to Darwen in 2012 because the town has lovely people and is a really busy place with lots of events.

“I think it’s great that Darreners have their own identity.

“You don’t have to walk too far before you’re in the middle of the countryside which I also love.

“I am delighted to be able to finish by 30 years as a police officer in Darwen.

“It’s a job where nothing is ever the same and it’s been fantastic. I can’t believe I’ve got paid to do it.”

Some of his memorable cases were a murder investigation last year in Hazel Avenue and catching some thieves outside The Old Chapel shortly after they had stolen items from a bakery.

After being a research chemist and gaining a PCGE to teach chemistry, Sgt Sherrington joined the force in 1987 after deciding he needed a stable job to support a family.

The dad-of-three worked in Preston and Blackpool before taking up duties in East Lancashire.

He was promoted to a sergeant in 1997 and was moved to Darwen.

He said: “Getting promoted was fantastic and to see the look of pride in my dad’s face when I showed him my uniform and stripes was amazing just before he died of cancer.

“It was the proudest moment of my career.”

He then worked in Blackburn both in custody at Northgate for a couple of years and on the response team for six years before returning to Darwen in 2012.

Sgt Sherrington is already part of the North West Blood Bikes.

The volunteers collects and delivers urgently-needed blood between hospitals. He has also signed up to be an exam invigilator and will be looking to travel more.

He said: “The thing I would like to see change about the town is to have more police officers because we’d be able to do more things like marshalling at events which we can’t do at the moment.”