Rayleigh residents will see a greater policing presence on the streets with the move of their Neighbourhood Policing team into the town’s High Street police station.

The team has also been bolstered by the addition of four new officers – one sergeant who will lead the team and three Neighbour Specialist Officers.

The moves are part of an overall strategy by District Commander, Chief Inspector Glen Westley (pictured right) based on the concept of ‘policing on the doorstep.’

He said: “Having the team together in the heart of the town instead of travelling from Rochford means officers will be locally focused and able to spend more time out on the beat.

“The more they are out in the community meeting residents the better we can understand people’s concerns and deal with them.

“Rayleigh is a safe town with relatively little crime and disorder and these changes underscore our commitment to maintaining the safety of residents.

“They have told us that they want the reassurance of seeing more officers on the streets and these moves are a step towards this.”