THE new face of community policing has been showcased in a North-East town.

Twenty one police community support officers (PCSOs), who are part of a neighbourhood policing scheme which is being pioneered in Hartlepool, posed for the cameras yesterday.

If the scheme is successful, the Government wants to see it expanded across the country.

The PCSO programme is intended to echo the days when beat bobbies were seen regularly patrolling the streets and often known personally by those living in the neighbourhood.

Police hope the high-visibility presence they will provide will reduce crime and the fear of crime in the communities they serve.

The 21 officers have just completed training at Cleveland Police headquarters.

From Monday, they will begin a three-week period to familiarise themselves with the wards they will be helping to police.

Chief Inspector Steve Lawson said 74 police officers and PCSOs had already been allocated to cover all the wards in the town.

He said: "Over the coming weeks, these new officers will be getting to know people in their wards.

"We want all our neighbourhood officers to be known by name and to be easily contactable.

"This is the future of policing, and the developments taking place in Hartlepool will be eventually mirrored through the Cleveland force area."