Putting a police presence back on the streets of Essex is one of the aims of new community support officers who could soon become commonplace across the county.
These officers will be given a range of powers including confiscation of alcohol, dealing with abandoned vehicles and tackling youth disturbances.
Chairman of Essex Police Authority, Robert Chambers, is hoping to spend part of this year's police budget on financing these new officers, but one division is already at the stage of interviewing candidates for the role.
Insp Glenn Mayes, based at Epping, is section commander for Epping, Ongar and Waltham Abbey in the Harlow division and is overseeing the implementation of community support officers, as part of a Home Office-financed pilot scheme.
There will be five support officers in Waltham Abbey and five in Loughton, something which Insp Mayes believes can only be a good thing for Essex Police.
"We had to put in a bid and we were successful. Now the Home Office is funding us to do it, by giving us a grant of £118,000. But we have to justify that amount and that's to cover things like equipment, training and the selection process.
"The funding is dependent on us appointing these officers before March 31, the end of this financial year.
"It is a tight deadline, especially as we have had to start from scratch with things like job descriptions, and have only had since November, but I'm sure we can do it. We have about 24 people to interview next week,"he said.
Insp Mayes said that these officers would help with what is possibly one of the main problems in the force - a lack of police on the streets and the fact there is so much paperwork they are often tied to the desk.
"One of the main complaints from the public is the fact there are no bobbies on the beat anymore.
But this is just not possible, as even the smallest crime ties up my officers up for hours, which means they can't get out on the streets. So these community support officers will help ease the minds of the public, as there will be a police presence back on the streets.
Published Friday, January 24, 2003
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