COLCHESTER’S chief of police says he will be looking to reduce violence and antisocial behaviour as well as improve road safety as key priorities in the months ahead.

The city’s District Commander, Chief Inspector Colin Cox, has outlined his three policing priorities.

Crime in Colchester has fallen by 7.3 per cent in the past year, with Chief Insp Cox is determined to build on this positive work.

He is looking to focus on reducing violence and antisocial behaviour, and improving road safety.

He also emphasised the importance of his team continuing to increase public confidence by maintaining a highly visible presence in the community.

“Colchester is a vibrant, diverse district with a strong community spirit and a rich history,” said Chief Insp Cox.

“Crime is down with nearly 1,400 fewer offences recorded in the last 12 months, and people can expect to see my team out in communities listing to people’s concerns, responding to them, and ensuring activity happens, whether that’s from police or partners organisations.

“If we do those fundamentals of policing well, and we will continue to build trust and confidence.”

He continued: “My first priority is tackling violence in all forms, such as domestic abuse as well as drug-driven and alcohol-driven violence.

“We have a busy night-time economy with lots of pubs and clubs that are open until the early hours of the morning, so making sure we’re policing that properly is a focus for us.

“If we do that, we can prevent incidents and protect people. And when there are incidents, we are there to deal with them and catch offenders.”

Colchester has also seen a 36 per cent fall in incidents of antisocial behaviour, with 979 fewer offences reported in the last year.

However, Chief Insp Cox believes the issue may be underreported and wants everyone to come forward if they witness or are a victim of antisocial behaviour.

He said: “We know the impact antisocial behaviour has on neighbourhoods, but we’re also conscious about the impact ASB has in the city centre.

“We’ve got a Public Space Protection Order in Colchester that is enforced by the council using evidence we provide. Tell us what is happening, and we can deal with it.

“If we’re there to stop ASB, to engage with youngsters, and to explain what their behaviour can lead to, then we can prevent it happening in the first place.”

Chief Insp Cox’s third priority is to make Colchester’s roads and streets safer for everyone, believing everyone has a responsibility to not put themselves or others in danger.

Chief Insp Cox added how getting good information from the public is key to combatting issues and he reiterated the importance he places on strong community links.

He said: “We want people to talk to us and report crime, so we get a true picture where there are issues. Being visible and listening to the community is vital.

“They are our source of information, and if they will tell us what crimes are occurring then we will take decisive action.”