BASILDON’S town centre policing team has been given a makeover.

The unit has been renamed the Basildon Town Neighbourhood Policing Team.

PC Colin McCabe has also been appointed the town centre’s new neighbourhood specialist officer.

He said his new role was to focus on problems blighting shoppers and residents, which were not the same as crimes in other parts of town.

He said: “I will be targeting anti-social behaviour and prolific shoplifters, I will be working to try and get them banned from the town centre.

“I want to make it a pleasant place to shop.

“The town centre has different problems from the rest of the Basildon area. It needs someone to engage with the community that uses and lives in the town centre.

“This role is really focusing on the community engagement in the town. It’s for the residents living in the town as well as businesses.

“On a day-to-day basis I will be patrolling the town centre, as well as organising meetings with residents and businesses.”

PC McCabe will be working closely with bars and pubs in Basildon’s Pubwatch scheme, as well as clamping down on nuisance cyclists pedalling through the town centre.

He will be supported by the rest of the neighbourhood policing team, which is made up of two sergeants, five constables and three police community support officers.

Chief Insp Simon Dobinson, of Basildon police, said the change was sending a strong message to the local community.

He said: “The idea is to make sure the town has someone they can engage with, who is their local officer.

“It’s about trying to provide longer problem-solving solutions to reduce problems affecting the town and build even more confidence in the police service.”