More high-profile policing has been highlighted as one of the ways forward in fighting crime in Colchester.

A Government inspection into Colchester police station said it was heading in the right direction but there are still a number of stumbling blocks to preventing and detecting crime.

But the chief superintendent of Colchester police branded the report "outdated" and said action had already been taken.

The report is the first time divisions have been inspected on an individual basis to improve standards and good practice.

But Chief Superintendent Dave Murthwaite said the proactive and focused force, which Colchester police station is now striving to be, is already addressing most of the seven recommendations made by HMI inspectors following a visit in September.

Inspectors said the Colchester division needed to have a more proactive, problem-solving approach to preventing and reducing crime and felt the work of community policing teams was too demand-led, with officers seldom out on the community beat.

Mr Murthwaite, who took over as divisional commander in July, agreed with many of their concerns.

But he said they were the driving force behind the radical changes to policing style implemented last month.

"The report is awfully outdated," he said.

"What I am most pleased about is independent senior officers from HMI came here, looked at what we were doing and totally supported the changes we intended to make."

Published Monday December 17, 2001