SEEN as an essential tool to help unite communities in combating crime, the police Crime Ring is a computerised message broadcasting system.

Developed for Sussex Police in 1992, the system was designed primarily for Neighbourhood Watch communication.

It has been operating in Sedgefield borough for seven years and was launched by Prime Minister Tony Blair.

As computer technology has developed, it has allowed for a more diverse system encompassing more groups in the borough.

While representing the key to communications with Neighbourhood Watch for crime reduction initiatives such as Operation Lancelot, the system also embraces many other groups.

Every school and petrol station in the borough is linked to the system, which also includes residents in rural locations, farms and outlying properties.

In addition, more than 200 industrial premises are part of a Business Watch.

Messages are generated by the police crime reduction unit and delivered via the telephone network as either recorded telephone message, fax or e-mail.

Police use the system to keep recipients informed about crime trends and arrests, as well as appeals for information.

The system has been successfully used to alert residents to a child missing from home, speeding up the process of reuniting the youngster with parents.

Last year, it was instrumental in the arrest of a man from London, wanted for a country-wide credit card fraud.

With more than 900 recipients signed up to the Crime Ring, membership continues to rise and no one in Sedgefield borough is excluded from the scheme.