Anti-social behaviour will play a major role in Kent Police's Safer Spring campaign, which launched across the county today.

To bring home the consequences of getting involved in anti-social behaviour, a schools roadshow will take the theme "Is it worth it?"

The roadshow aims to show young people the real meaning of being the perpetrator and the victim of crime.

It uses multi-media activities to illustrate the key themes - including dance, music and drama to get the pupils thinking.

The schools tour will kick off next Monday, and include areas such as Ramsgate, Swanley, Ashford and Sittingbourne.

Chief Inspector Lee Russell from Kent Police’s Partnerships and Crime Reduction Department said: "The tour is a really exciting part of Safer Spring and we hope that it will help us to pass on important information and messages to young people living in Kent.

"These six schools have been chosen as the first to experience the tour, but we hope to be able to extend it in coming months so we can visit more schools in the county.

"The ones we are visiting have not been chosen because they have any specific problems with anti-social behaviour but because they represent a good cross-section of schools in Kent, with whom we work on a very regular basis."

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In addition, a short film outlining work carried out to tackle anti-social behaviour by neighbourhood officers has been produced for the campaign and is available to view on www.kent.police.uk

It shows how neighbourhood policing reaches deep into communities through specific officers working with residents across the whole area.

In Thanington, Canterbury, police have helped develop and expand a resource centre.

Paula Spencer, who runs the centre, said: "The police are part of the team and the children love them because they are great. They join in and are fantastic, and we really appreciate having them here."

Police Community Support Officer (PCSO) Sam Milton is one of the officers involved with the Thanington project. He said: "It is an absolutely fabulous place. It helps the community and it makes my job easier because I know where the kids are and I can interact with them."

The video also illustrates how the neighbourhood teams provide support and respond to the priorities that matter most to people. In the Lordswood area of Kent residents praised the local team for their work locally. Superintendent Des Keers said: ‘They don’t just have a short term impact, they have a long term impact on crime levels which is what people want so they are safe in their communities.’

The schools involved

• Howard School for boys, Rainham

• Ellington School for girls, Ramsgate

• Swan Valley Community School, Swanscombe

• Swanley Technical College, Swanley

• Norton Knatchbull School, Ashford

• Sittingbourne Community College, Sittingbourne

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