The number of badly behaved youngsters causing havoc on the streets of the Maldon district is at one of the lowest levels for years, it has been claimed.
Sgt Richard Miller of the town's police says the days of mounted police officers being called in to tame the chaos-causing teenagers of the town are long gone.
And he thinks the decline of the need for such heavy-handed tactics could be partly down to the introduction of special orders and contracts brought in to crack down on anti-social behaviour.
He said: "About seven years ago officers on horseback had to be summoned because of the trouble that was going on, particularly in the High Street.
"But now, despite the town having grown so much, things are much, much better."
But Sgt Miller said there were still a few problems with nuisance youths, and 17 Anti-Social Behaviour Contracts (ABCs) have been handed out since their launch last year.
Published Friday July 16, 2004
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