DURHAM Police have become the first force in the UK to adopt a new weapon in the fight against child sexual exploitation, training officers to detect tell-tale signs that give abusers away.

The force has adopted a programme developed in the US by the Texas Rangers and tailor-made for use in the UK by international expert Dr Joe Sullivan.

About 400 frontline officers have taken part in the Intervene to Protect a Child programme (IPC) which teaches non-specialists certain behavioural signs that someone might be a child abuser.

Certain types of tattoos, photographs or literature which may not immediately have triggered concern, are now being interpreted by officers as symbolising a sexual interest in children.

Dr Sullivan who has helped UK and European police forces with investigations into the sexually motivated abduction, murder and assault of children did not wish to give more specific details about indicators to the general public.

But officers are trained to look for behavioural signs which may prompt them to consider questioning an individual about their relationship with a child in their care even if that individual had been spoken to for a different reason.

The programme has already notched up its first success with PCSO Adam Grundy, 28, putting his new knowledge into effect by protecting a girl under five who was at risk

The PCSO, who is based in south Durham, took action within two weeks of receiving his training.

Durham Constabulary's Chief Constable Mike Barton was said he was “over the moon” with the quick results of the training, which has also been completed by another 160 public sector workers including teachers, fire officers and health workers.

He said: "We are giving them the confidence to recognise, if people wear certain clothing, if people have certain tattoos, if people behave in a certain way, that might be an indication.

"When you add these things together, that should give them the confidence to a frontline member of staff to do a bit more digging."

Dr Sullivan, who has worked with thousands of perpetrators, said: "This training is about targeting frontline staff who are not working in the arena of child sexual exploitation."

He said staff were also trained to look out for signs in children who may be being abused.