A CRIME fighting coalition is being set up to try and prevent criminal activity in Colchester.

District Commander Elliott Judge hopes the coalition, combined with state-of-the-art technology and his officers, will help to stop problems before they occur.

It is hoped the coalition will include licensed venues, shops, business organisations, including Colchester Business Against Crime, and the council.

Measures being suggested from the team include:

- Shop security being fitted with body worn cameras with pictures of potential shoplifting gangs digitally circulated in real time.

- Door staff at licensed venues being fitted with body worn cameras to help with intelligence, information and evidence.

- Better sharing of information gathered from Colchester's town centre CCTV system.

- Extra teams of Special Constables patrolling the streets and venues during Friday and Saturday nights.

- A new Community Watch scheme including pubs, restaurants, shops and businesses.

Parts of Essex are suffering from organised drug and shoplifting gangs who have taken root in districts including Tendring, Southend and Basildon.

And while there have been occasional issues in the town attempts are being made to stop these growing.

Chief Insp Judge, the county's lead on night-time economy policing, wants Colchester to lead the way in advance techniques and co-operation.

He said: "We want to prevent incidents occurring but when they do occur to be able to gather that vital evidence.

"We have found body worn cameras really useful as police officers.

"They have helped reduce complaints against officers and supported prosecutions with evidence, such as with domestic abuse.

Initial meetings have been held with businesses, shops, councillors and security companies to decide the best way of implementing plans.

Chief Insp Judge said: "Colchester is a good place to to go out. We have 8,000 people on average on a Friday night and Saturday night.

"There are incidents but we have really good relationships with licensed premises and in the last six months there has been an improvement."

Extra patrols of four to eight Special Constables will assist their community policing team colleagues in town centres on weekend nights, starting today.

There are concerns about organised shoplifting and drug dealing gangs.

Chief Insp Judge said: "The worry is people coming into Colchester from outside Essex and stealing high value items.

"We have had a meeting about this."

One of the hopes is when suspicious and potential shoplifters are spotted in town cameras could catch the image and send and share it around to put shops on alert and prevent thefts before they occur.

Regarding drug gangs there have been gang awareness discussions with the aim of "Colchester getting ahead of the curve."

Mr Judge added: "We don't want them coming from outside of Colchester and stopping here to commit their crimes."