THE fight against drug-related crime in Harlow has been given a £274,410 Government funding boost.

Harlow police division's basic command unit has been allocated an extra £171,246 to provide additional resources for officers tackling crime and disorder in the community.

Officers will now be able to extend their work with other local agencies, including Harlow Council, the probation service, schools and community groups, to use the money to tackle problems such as street crime, anti-social behaviour and burglary.

On top of that, the Harlow Crime and Drug Reduction Partnership is to receive £103,164 to further its plans for joint-agency working to tackle crime and drug problems in the area.

Harlow MP Bill Rammell said: "This significant new funding should make a real difference to the battle against street crime and drug-related criminal behaviour in our community. This money will help provide the extra resources needed on the front line to tackle the problems.

"Anti-social behaviour and petty street crime is a very big issue locally and one that too often is linked with drugs. Constituents want to see it tackled and would feel much more safe if they saw more police officers out on the beat.

"This extra government funding for the next year will help and I will be pressing the police on how they intend to use these resources to meet the community's priorities."

The money allocated to Harlow is part of a £144m national funding plan for drug and crime reduction in England and Wales in 2003-04.

January 30, 2003 11:00