THE new man in charge of policing in Colchester has vowed to clamp down on problem families who blight the town’s neighbourhoods.

Chief Insp Lee Davies has taken over the role at Colchester police station from acting Chief Insp Andy Fusher.

The 45-year-old, who grew up in the town, started his policing career at Clacton in 1990 before serving in Wivenhoe.

He later worked as a detective inspector at Stansted Airport and was most recently at the serious organised crime directorate, based at Essex Police HQ in Chelmsford.

Chief Insp Davies said: “There are a few individuals in neighbourhoods who cause a lot of problems and we are going to deal with those problem individuals.

“We will target problem families by gathering intelligence in the community.

“The issue is getting people to talk to us as a lot of the time people don’t realise the value of what they know.

“If we can’t get problem people through the criminal process, we will get anti-social behaviour orders, but we need the public to talk to us.”

Chief Insp Davies said he was committed to cutting crime and anti-social behaviour in the town but didn’t believe it had a big drugs or night-time disorder problem.

“Colchester is a busy town centre in terms of nightlife,” he said.

“But a vast percentage of people go out to enjoy themselves. It is only one or two who cause problems and we must get this in perspective.

“We will be working in partnership with licensees and security to make taxi ranks as safe as we can possibly make them.”

Mr Fusher has moved to the personnel and training department at Essex Police’s Chelmsford HQ.