Police community support officers (PCSOs) are joining forces with the beach patrol unit to make the beach a safer place to be this summer.

Stopping crime - police community support officers Wayne Burke and Sue Groves with beach control officer James Hill on Clacton seafront. Picture: SEANA HUGHES

The joint operation is a new initiative, which has just started in Clacton.

The PCSOs are civilian crime fighters who help back up the police.

The scheme involves five PCSOs, about six Tendring Council beach patrol officers and seven police officers.

PCSO Wayne Burke, said: "It's been going fantastically. It's a really good partnership. We are all working towards the same goal."

The link with the beach patrol unit is just part of it.

The PCSOs are also working with coastguards, town link and pub watch as well.

The new partnership has already seen success. On one occasion there were three children who went missing from the beach on the same day, which the beach patrol and PCSO officers worked together to help find and reunite with their parents.

Published Thursday June 10, 2004

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