THE police have joined forces with a new neighbourhood warden to crack down on troublemakers.

Beat officers Pc Mark Stephens and Pc Victoria Dawson will be targeting crime and disorder, drug issues and antisocial behaviour on the Heronwood estate in Aldershot.

They will be working alongside recently recruited Carl Tomlinson, who works for Pavilion Housing and is funded by the Rushmoor Community Safety Partnership.

Among their initiatives will be regular day and night joint patrols on the estate.

Pc Stephens said: “Working together, we should be able to achieve a lot more by tackling problems from all angles. We hope it will make a big difference in the area.”

They will be targeting individuals believed to be responsible for many of the problems, asking them to sign an Acceptable Behaviour Contract (ABC).

If they don’t sign it, or fail to stick to the agreement, they and their family could face eviction if they live in social housing.

The even tougher Anti-Social Behaviour Orders (ASBO) could also be considered. Neighbourhood warden Carl Tomlinson described the approach as “joined up thinking”, and “a real team effort to reassure residents and show them that something is being done”.

He added: “It’s a minority that cause problems and we will be coming down hard on those individuals.”

Heronwood ward councillor Don Cappleman urged local people to give their support to the initiative: “This is a progressive step in trying to cure antisocial behaviour.

“However, I will say that it depends entirely on the help of residents and the parents of the children who are causing the trouble.

“I would plead with the parents who know their children are misbehaving to support the warden, the police and the council.

“It is only by supporting them that we can reduce the perceived threat to the elderly and vulnerable.”

Pc Victoria Dawson backed the call for support from people on the estate: “They need to let us or Carl know if there is an issue we should be looking at and help us with any information they can.”

When not on patrol, the officers can be contacted at the beat office at Aldershot police station on 0845 0454545.