A 20 STRONG pool of police officers- supported by a dozen PCSOs including two of Eastern European origin- are set to change the face of policing in Wisbech.

Headed by Inspector Robin Sissons and including a CID office, public inquiry team, and a social/cohesion team, the new squad is being put in place as part of the county wide Operation ReDesign.

Chief Inspector Mike Winters, newly promoted commander of a Fenland force which is now aligned to the district council area, said the team is the culmination of work that began that last year as the county sought to save �16 million from its policing budget.

“When I was looking at a re structure I recognised how unique Wisbech is in terms of policing because of the migration impact and the deprivation factors in the town,” said Chief Insp Winters.

Until now and in terms of staffing across Wisbech, neighbourhood policing teams have been supported by a 24/7 reactive team operating out of March.

“We’ve changed all that,” said Chief Insp Winters. “A 20 strong team of workers will now work from Wisbech, operating 24/7 providing local ‘ownership’ and offering better local knowledge.”

Recognising the need for a public face, too, he said there would be two sergeants across the Wisbech area to “take ownership of local issues. It means we, as a force, will be able to react quickly, understand the public’s need better and respond more appropriately.”

Insp Sissons added: “Every officer taking up a role at Wisbech has volunteered for it. “We have more officers wanting to come here than anywhere else.”

PCSOs, said Chief Insp Winters, will “support community work, offer visibility, re assurance and help tackle anti social behaviour.”

Both Chief Insp Winters and Insp Sissons have been asked by BBC Look East to take part in a follow up to a recent item which focused on Wisbech following the murder of Latvian teenager Alisa Dmitrijeva.

Insp Sissons said he attended a police panel meeting recently “and waited for the community to raise the issue of racial tension or homes in multiple occupation or something along those lines.

“The consensus was that the publicity had once again shown up Wisbech Park in a bad light yet focusing on the park two elderly people told me at that meeting how they had walked to toe Robert Hall Centre to get there and were more than happy to walk home. They didn’t recognise the town from the national press description.”