Community wardens acting as the eyes and ears of the police could soon be patrolling the streets of Chelmsford.

The high-visibility community support officers would back up the town's police force in a bid to crack down on thefts, vandalism and other relatively minor offences.

Essex Police Authority chairman Robert Chambers said: "The whole idea of the scheme is to ensure high-visibility policing.

"The wardens will be looking to see if anything has been damaged or if there is any sort of trouble occurring. "

Ten wardens funded by the Home Office currently patrol the streets of Harlow, but the Police Authority wants to see the scheme expanded countywide.

The countywide community wardens proposal is one of the improvements which police authority members are considering for 2003/04 as part of an ongoing initiative to improve safety in the county.

Essex Police will run the scheme and provide wardens with uniforms and badges.

"The public have told us that they want to see more police on the streets," said Mr Chambers. "The wardens would not have the same authority as the police, but could enforce by-laws.

"Essex is a very safe place to live, but it is hoped that these wardens will put people's minds at rest even more."

Other improvements under consideration include better telephone call handling, enhanced investigative capability, additional crime analysts and the release of more police officers from desk jobs to front line duties.

Mr Chambers said he hoped that a decision would be made at the police authority's finance and resources committee meeting on Monday before going to the full authority meeting on February 10.

Published Thursday, January 16, 2003

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