A UNIQUE Community Safety Partnership has been set up in Pembrokeshire.

It's aim is not just to deal with anti social behaviour, but also to try to get grips with the root of problems and crime within communities and try to resolve them.

The new unit operates from a former police house at Haverfordwest police station. The Partnership, funded by the Home Office and Welsh Assembly, brings together the police and local authority, assisted by the Local Health Board, Probation Service, Fire Brigade and Youth Offenders team.

Taking on the role of anti social behaviour officer is former Detective Chief Inspector Roger Hughes. He works closely with police community safety officer Sue Blacklaw-Jones and the recently-formed team of community safety officers.

"The definition of anti social behaviour is behaviour which causes alarm, distress or harassment to any person," said Roger Hughes.

"Victims want this behaviour stopped as soon as possible. We are here to prevent and deter that behaviour and to do that we work closely with the local authority and other agencies - including local councillors, the housing department, private landlords and the Benefit Agency - to decide what effective action to take.

"If we have to go to court to get an ASBO - anti social behaviour order - then I would regard it as a failure."

Community safety officers do tremendous work and have been very well received by the community, he said.

"They do not work alone. They have the full backing of the police," he explained.

"We are not out to stop youngsters playing football. We are here to target the bullies who want to dominate and intimidate an area and make people's lives a misery.

"Some people have experienced such extreme anti social behaviour that they are physically and mentally scarred. I know cases where victims have slept rough rather than remain in their own homes."

Such problem behaviour is not just confined to housing estates. "I know of cases where anti social behaviour has occurred as a result of a clash of cultures between residents and incomers in rural areas," said Roger Hughes.

PICTURED aboce: Roger Hughes, anti social behaviour officer, is seen here with community safety officers, Tanya Potter, David Powell and Nadia Sullivan. Their Community Safety Partnership vehicle will be used for many purposes, including school visits, exhibitions and fetes. It will be on display at the Pembrokeshire Agricultural Show, where the Partnership will be represented on the Dyfed-Powys Police stand.

IMAGINE suffering ten years of harassment, anti social behaviour and sometimes even intimidation.

That's what one couple in Milford Haven had to endure. Police tried to help, but it was not until the introduction of the police community safety officers that the husband and wife were able to glimpse some light at the end of a dark tunnel.

The officers listened to them. They were visible on the streets as they patrolled the area. They identified the children and young people causing the problem. They talked to them and began to make them aware of the impact of their actions.

The result was that their behaviour improved and so did the couple's quality of life.

"They sent a letter of thanks to us and we have even had people coming out of their houses saying how pleased they are to see us," explained Nadine Sullivan, one of three officers who cover an area from Neyland to Milford Haven and Gellyswick.

The other two are Tanya Potter and David Powell. They are among 11 CSOs in Pembrokeshire.

Nadine knew someone working in a similar post in Llanelli. "They told me about their experiences and the contribution they made to the safety and environment of the community. I thought I would like to do that too," she said.

Tanya previously worked at the Job Centre which brought her into contact with the public. "I saw people with problems and I wanted to find out why they behaved like that and get to the grass roots of the problems," she explained.

As a traffic warden, David Potter saw at first hand some of the situations police had to deal with and wanted to provide more support for them.

"We also visit schools and youth clubs and speak to youngsters to get them on our side and encourage them to live in a better society,' explained David. "And we liaise with Homewatch co-ordinators and police officers."

Said anti social behaviour officer Roger Hughes: "The CSOs are our eyes and ears."