A new officer specialising in anti-social behaviour has started in Potters Bar.

PC Chris Humphreys, who has seven and a half years of experience in Hertfordshire, has worked for two years on the Operation Scorpion team in Hertsmere, executing drug warrants and working in ANPR, and four and a half years as a special constable in Watford.

PC Humphreys, who is now joining the Potters Bar and Shenley Safer Neighbourhood Team, said: "I am really pleased to be posted here as I’ve previously worked in Hertsmere and I wanted to try something new after five years on intervention.

"Instead of responding to emergency incidents and moving on to the next job, we are able to invest time dealing with longer term problems and anti-social behaviour as well as dealing with crime.

He will be helping to address the three safer neighbourhood priorities of anti-social behaviour near McDonalds and the Wyllyotts Centre in Darkes Lane, anti-social behaviour and inconsiderate use of off road bikes around the Furzehill Centre and anti-social behaviour around Tesco and Shenley Park.

He said: "We have plenty of options available to us to deal with nuisance behaviour.

"In relation to the neighbourhood priorities, we have issued community protection warnings and community protection notices.

"A breach of a CPN is a criminal offence. We have also issued section 59 warnings for anti-social riders followed by confiscation orders and have banned people from shops, and work closely with colleagues from the Hertsmere Community Safety Partnership (CSP) to help safeguard young and vulnerable people."

PC Humphreys helped catch two burglars at Hendon cemetery following a pursuit through Bushey in September, when he first joined, and recalls one of his best jobs where he followed a suspicious man in a taxi in Borehamwood.

The man had swallowed Class A drugs and found to have £5,000 worth of cannabis on him.

He was arrested and convicted for possession with intent to supply in March 2017, and sentenced to nine months imprisonment, suspended for a year; 120 hours of unpaid work and a six month curfew from 8pm to 6am and ordered to pay a £115 victim surcharge while the drugs and paraphernalia was seized and destroyed.

Hertsmere Neighbourhood Inspector Pete Edwards said: "Chris is a welcome addition to the team and will be working on problem solving initiatives and providing high-visibility patrols. His experience in covert policing and dealing with cross boarder criminals will be a real advantage to the team."

To join Neighbourhood Watch, log on to www.owl.co.uk or speak to your local PCSO.