Stockton-on-Tees is an area of wide contrasts, including a mixture of busy town centres, urban residential areas and picturesque villages. The borough has a unique social and economic mix, with areas of economic disadvantage situated alongside areas of affluence. The district covers the 27 wards of Stockton, Billingham, Yarm, Thornaby, Ingleby Barwick and surrounding villages known collectively as Stockton.
The district management team consists of a Superintendent (District Commander), Detective Chief Inspector (Crime Manager), Chief Inspector (Operations Manager), and a Chief Inspector (Neighbourhoods)
Superintendent Darren Best
District Commander
Darren Best joined Cleveland Police in July 1989. He spent the first seven years of his service working mainly in uniform duties at Redcar and Cleveland District, before being promoted to Sergeant at Hartlepool in 1996.
In 1999 Darren took up a posting to the Child Protection Unit as a Detective Sergeant, before being promoted to Inspector and returning to uniform duties at Hartlepool in 2000.
Returning to the Child Protection Unit in 2001, as a Detective Inspector, Darren took on the additional responsibilities of being in charge of the Force Public Protection Unit (management of dangerous offenders and sex offenders) and Vulnerable Adults Unit.
In 2004, Darren was posted to Stockton District as a Detective Inspector with specific responsibility for intelligence management; it was while at Stockton he was promoted to Chief Inspector, initially with responsibility for uniform operations and more latterly as the Detective Chief Inspector.
In June 2008, Darren was in charge of the Force Professional Standards Department. His primary responsibilities were to oversee and manage complaints made by members of the public and ensure discipline issues involving our staff were investigated appropriately. Together with internal vetting, he also had responsibility for the Force Information Compliance Unit encompassing staff who deal with matters relating to Freedom of Information (FOI), Criminal Records Bureau (CRB) and the Children & Family Court Advice & Support Service (CAFCASS).
In February 2010 Darren became District Commander for Stockton District.
