ANTI-SOCIAL behaviour has long been a concern of residents throughout the boroughs of Congleton and Vale Royal.

In recent years, the number of complaints made to the police regarding anti-social behaviour, mainly connected with youths, has been steadily increasing.

Now, thanks to an initiative devised by Congleton and Vale Royal police division this form of nuisance could be on the way out.

Three months ago, police Community Action Teams, or CATs, were established with the brief to work closely with the local community, identify problems within the area and devise strategies to deal with the problems.

To make the scheme more effective, the division was split into three geographic areas each under the command of a designated Inspector with a set CAT patrolling each sector.

Now, three months later the teams have made a positive start to their professional life and division commander, Supt Chris Richards, is more than happy with the progress made.

He said: "Partnerships within the communities have now been built and tasking and co-ordination is now under way.

"We are now trying to raise the profile of the teams and improve visibility and accessibility."

The new move towards publicising the activities of the teams comes as a result of all positions being filled and everything within the teams in place ready to liase with the respective communities.

When the division was split into three, the areas created were Congleton, under Insp Steve Bailey, Winsford and Tarporley, controlled by Insp Ken Knox and Northwich and Frodsham, commanded by Insp Elwyn Parry.

Each CAT now consists of the commanding inspector, a sergeant, a community safety officer and two constables, with the sergeant, community safety officer and the constables making up the public face of the team and working very closely with their respective communities.

Reduced

The Winsford and Tarporley team staffed by Sgt Ian Wood, CSO Peter Kenny, and Constables Ian Mitchell and Keith Barnett is already liasing with the borough council and various local organisations to ensure nuisance crime is reduced and Peter Kenny believes that the start they have made bodes well for the future.

He said: "I can assure readers that the police officers are doing their very best to meet everyone's expectations.

"This view has been reinforced since I arrived at Winsford, where I have met many conscientious people who are keen to make a difference.

"However, the police alone cannot solve the problems within this area and the public must take some responsibility in helping us to effectively address local issues.

"We are currently working with the schools and looking at proactively trying to reduce crime amongst youth and reduce youth nuisance."

He added: "I am not nave enough to think we have all the answers or that we can make everyone happy, but I do believe that by working together we can begin to make a difference."

The new Northwich and Frodsham team, supervised by Insp Elwyn Parry, consists of Sgt Vince Morrison, CSO Andrea Robinson and Constables Emma Herbert and Robert Snasdell.

Although the team has only been in operation for a short time, it's very much business as usual for Andrea Robinson who has been working on crime prevention in people's homes for the past two-and-a-half years - and has been transferred to the CATs team.

Andrea too believes that the main aim of the teams is to be visible and proactive giving local residents peace of mind.

"Our aim is to make it a safer place and to cut down on nuisance youths," she said.

The Congleton based team too is looking to raise its profile among the people of the area and PC Mark Guildford is certain that given time the CATs can become a major part of community policing.

"We're quite new at the moment, in fact I've just been moved into the office but already we've had a lot of really good feedback from the public," he said.

"I can see the scheme snowballing as more and more people get to know about us I think it will get very busy.

"At the moment we're really trying to raise our profile and let people know how to contact us, we're going to a lot of meetings and getting to know the local people face to face and, although we're based at Congleton police station, we're there for the whole of the Congleton area, including Middlewich."

Mark is joined on the Congleton CAT by Sgt Geoff McKenzie, CSO Julie Ledger and PC Dave Allen.

Northwich and Frodsham CAT 01244 612543 or CSO Andrea Robinson 01244 613219; Winsford and Tarporley CAT 01244 612583 or CSO Peter Kenny 01244 612584; Congleton CAT 01244 613538 or CSO Julie Ledger 01244 613549