Meet your three new Community Safety Officers who have been employed to patrol local shopping centres.

ALEX, Stuart and Ray are part of Harlow Council’s existing Community Safety Team and work with the public and businesses to target antisocial behaviour and environmental crimes like littering, fly-tipping and graffiti.

All three started work at the end of November and are permanent members of the Community Safety Team.

They provide a uniformed presence in the Town Centre, The Stow, Bush Fair and Staple Tye shopping areas seven days a week. The officers also support and work closely Essex Police on specific operations and are trained under the Essex Police community safety accreditation scheme.

Alex previously worked in retail management, Stuart was a security officer at Stansted Airport and Ray worked for a private security firm.

One of the first projects the officers undertook was a consultation on Town Centre safety, in which they went out into the community to ask Town Centre users and businesses about the issues that affect them and what they think would help to improve safety in the area. The results of the consultation will be used to put actions in place, such as public space protection orders, that will help combat certain activities or behaviours from negatively affecting our Town Centre.

If you see them while you are out and about say hello and let them know of any issues.