ESSEX Police have highlighted the work of a Basildon-based officer as it marks the UK's first Anti-Social Behaviour Awareness Week, organised by community safety specialists Resolve.

All through this week forces across the country have been turning the spotlight on how police, councils, housing providers, fire services and community groups keep communities safe.

Essex Police say: "With summer holidays now starting and the lifting of coronavirus restrictions, more people will be out and about and enjoying our towns, countryside and coastal areas.

"That also brings the risk of increased anti-social behaviour. While some of this will be down to people deliberately causing problems, there may be others who are unaware their behaviour is intimidating or disruptive."

As part of the campaign the work of Basildon town-centre based PC Barry Hilton and his colleagues in the Basildon Town Centre Team find most of the anti-social behaviour in Basildon town centre are related to street drinking, shoplifting, and children causing disruption in shops and abusing staff.

He said: "Since the town team started in 2019, we have had lots of positive feedback from the stores about the decrease in regular shoplifting because they have either gone to prison or have moved on.

"We've got a really good relationship with the stores inside and outside the Eastgate Shopping Centre."

Thirty-three shops are currently signed up to a secure app that allows them to share information with police to help identify shoplifters and people causing anti-social behaviour.

The team also deal with people who are riding privately owned e-scooters illegally in public areas.

PC Hilton said: "I say to people driving them the speed they come through the town: If you hit anyone, be it an elderly person or young child, you're going to seriously hurt them."

Assistant Chief Constable Rachel Nolan said: "Anti-social behaviour impacts communities across our county in different ways and in the worst cases can change the way people live their lives.

"We don't want anyone to feel intimidated where they should feel safe – whether that's in their home, in town centres and parks, on the roads or out on the water.

"Just as there are various types of anti-social behaviour, there are also a number of ways we can deal with it. Sometimes just speaking to people to highlight the impact of their behaviour, or using restorative justice, can put an end to the problem.

"But we also use dispersal orders, closure orders for properties, criminal behaviour orders and other legislation where necessary.

"Working closely with local councils, partner agencies and our communities is key to finding long term solutions for persistent problems and we encourage anyone affected by anti-social behaviour to report it.

"We know more than half of people who are victims of anti-social behaviour don't report it, but it's really important you do so we can then deal with it."

You can report incidents of anti-social behaviour on the Essex Police website or ring 101.