Essex Police set to perform blueprint u-turn (From Braintree and Witham Times)

Essex Police set to perform blueprint u-turn

5:00pm Wednesday 26th September 2012 in News

ESSEX Police is set to perform a u-turn on major changes implemented just seven months ago.

In March, the force set out proposals to create area investigation teams (AITs) across the county, to focus low level crime.

They were one of three changes to the way crimes are investigated, with a Target Offender Team and a Serious Crime Team also being created.

But now police chiefs have moved to amalgamate low level crime detectives with the existing neighbourhood policing team in a bid to free-up more officers to deal with crimes such as antisocial behaviour and criminal damage.

Officers will be consulted on the newly created Neighbourhood Crime Teams (NCTs) in the next few months, with specific changes being finalised by the end of the year.

An Essex Police spokesman said: “The changes will mean officers will be freed up to investigate low level crime.

“It should provide greater resilience in the teams of officers available to do that.”

The change was recommended by an investigation unit, set up by Essex Police, when the blueprint, aimed at saving £41million, was implemented in March.

The unit was tasked with monitoring which changes were successful and which were not.

“This is the first significant refining of the blueprint, aimed at making the service better to the public,” the spokesman added.

The NCTs will be supported by specially trained police officers and PCSOs.

At the moment, there are 500 officers in the existing Neighbourhood Policing Teams.

AITs are made up of a share of 1,000 officers.