TWO new teams of police officers will be hitting the streets of two borough communities after a new Thurrock council-funded policing initiative was launched.

With immediate effect two new Town centre teams are going to be out on patrol in Purfleet and Tilbury.

They are in addition to the which have been covering Grays, Stanford-le-Hope and South Ockendon since July and August last year.

The two new teams, which will each be made up of two officers, are being funded by Thurrock Council.

in the first 100 days of the new teams, police believe they have been successful - though public criticism in areas like Stanford-le-Hope where anti-social behaviour has been rife would appear to question that.

The three existing teams have made 20 arrests, carried out 37 stop and searches, nearly 50 investigations, and engaged with more than 100 businesses, as well tackling anti-social behaviour and working with the council to issue dozens of Community Protection Notices to individuals whose behaviour is considered to be unreasonable and having a detrimental effect on the community's quality of life.

Chief Inspector Richard Melton, District Commander for Thurrock, said: "I'm delighted to add two new town centre teams to help keep Thurrock even safer.

"The teams in Grays, Stanford-le-Hope and South Ockendon have already had a significant impact since their inception last summer and provide a positive, visible presence for our communities.

"They play a really important role within our communities, helping to tackle issues like anti-social behaviour and drug dealing.

"I have no doubt that these two new teams will have a similar impact in Tilbury and Purfleet."

Supt Craig Saunders said: "Town centres are a focal point that bring us all together and it is right that we are visible within the communities that we are proud to be a part of.

"The Town Centre Teams have been tackling issues impacting their areas and are working with local businesses and Community Safety Partnerships to make sure our town centres are safe and enjoyable for us all."

Council leader Rob Gledhill said: "I am very pleased that two new officers dedicated to Purfleet town centre and two new officers in Tilbury town centre will be patrolling these areas, alongside current town centre teams working in Grays, South Ockendon and Stanford-le-Hope. I've championed the town centre teams in our borough from the start and am delighted that Essex Police could work with us to bring these additional officers to two further areas.

"Working in partnership with Essex Police to tackle crime, violence and anti-social behaviour in our borough's town centres is a key priority.

"The success of the existing teams' presence on our streets from when they first launched to now speaks for itself – only this month the team in Stanford-le-Hope issued a male with a Community Protection Warning after he was identified as a person of interest; while over Christmas the Grays town centre team successfully took action against a prolific shoplifter who targeted local shops and has since been banned from entering Grays town centre for five years.

"We will always take crime and anti-social behaviour in Thurrock very seriously which is why the proposed 1.49 per cent increase in general Council Tax for 2020/21 will be used in part to continue to tackle it. We are also investing £1million over the next three years to tackle anti-social behaviour and serious violence.

"Many thanks to Essex Police for continuing to work with us and for helping to make Thurrock's town centres safer."

The team in Tilbury is PC Richard Harris and PC Lauren Whitwell while the team in Purfleet is made up of PC Nicole Plom and PC Bran Butcher.