POLICE who pledged to crack down on crime, disorder and anti-social behaviour are calling on the public to help them.

Five months after the launch of the StreetSafe initiative, Durham Constabulary said it had already enjoyed successes.

But Chief Inspector Graham Hall said the force needed the confidence of the public to speak out about incidents.

StreetSafe was formally launched by Prime Minister Tony Blair in Sedgefield.

It aims to tackle crime across County Durham and Darlington, in particular so-called yob culture incidents like graffiti, teenage drinking, vandalism and cases of criminal damage.

But Chief Insp Hall said that for the crime-fighting campaign to truly work, the public needed to trust the force's abilities and work with local officers to pro-actively tackle problems.

He said: "The public need total confidence in us to make a call and know they will be taken seriously.

"For victims and witnesses, it is about ensuring we provide the necessary support.

"We are working closely with the courts, Crown Prosecution Service, probation and Prison Service to ensure a positive outcome."

Between 1993 and 2003, recorded crime in County Durham and Darlington fell by about 25 per cent.

In 2003/2004, the area had one of the lowest rates of crime per head of population in England and Wales.

Durham Constabulary says that StreetSafe is a long-term scheme, which works on four themes to help improve people's quality of life in their community.

These are:

* Presence in the community - high levels of police visibility and accessible policing services.

* Environmental and physical factors - tackling crimes such as graffiti, abandoned cars and signs of neglect quickly, as well as dealing with groups of youths drinking or taking drugs in public;

* Effective response - presence of community wardens, CCTV, special constables and neighbourhood wardens to help ensure a rapid police response. Officers have been receiving training to help them deal with people in a professional manner;

* Communication and public engagement - good contact with the public to gain reassurance and working within partnerships to engage with the community, including consulting on every level.

Chief Insp Hall said community inspectors and beat officers were establishing links with parish councils, local residents' groups, schools and the public, but admitted they need strengthening further.

He said: "Everybody has a role to play. If we can work together, we will provide the results."

* What do you think of local policing in your area? Contact Kate Bowman on (01325) 505071.