THE new most senior police officer in Colchester has said he believes in traditional policing as he vowed to crack down on crime.

Chief Inspector Shaun Kane has taken over as district commander for Colchester after predecessor Elliott Judge left the role following 16 months at the helm.

Mr Kane will be moving from his post as inspector for Braintree’s local policing team, and has previously worked as temporary district commander in Basildon.

Laying out his priorities in his new role, Mr Kane said: “I want to tackle crime and antisocial behaviour and to make the best use of all resources at hand.

“Our job is to protect people from serious harm and to increase satisfaction with the work the police do across Colchester.

“I am really passionate about public service and ensuring myself and my teams deliver our best on every shift.

“My aim is not to meet public expectations but to exceed them.

“I want to reduce crime across Colchester and make it a safer place for everyone who lives there.

“I’m passionate about listening to people, both the public and police officers.

“I will listen and I will tangibly act, reporting back to communities in Colchester.

“Keeping local people informed is vital and so is putting victims at the heart of all we do.”

Mr Kane added: “I’m really looking forward to taking on a busy district and working with great teams, partners and the community.

“I’m keen to enhance links with our partners, such as the council, working on mutually beneficial operations and initiatives.

“Leading the teams and officers at Basildon for over a year was a great experience for me.

“I’m looking forward to being able to transfer my experience of good work and best practices to my new role.

“I believe in traditional policing but delivering it in a modern way with all the new innovations we are able to use now such as mobile data technology, automatic number plate recognition and social media.”