FOCUSING on the needs of individual communities has led to Lancashire Police becoming the only force in the country to 'exceed standards' for neighbourhood policing.

And the constabulary was one of only three forces to gain the same accolade for developing its citizen focus, following a review by Her Majesty’s Inspectorate of Constabularies (HMIC).

There are 1,004 designated 'neighbourhoods ' in Lancashire, which are overseen by 287 community beat managers and 421 PCSOs. In total around 20 per cent of the constabulary's workforce is dedicated to neighbourhood policing.

Steve Finnigan, chief constable of Lancashire Police, said: "Neighbourhood policing is about innovation, problem solving and accessibility.

People are most concerned about what is happening on their door step, like anti-social behaviour, criminal damage, low level violence and so on.

"Teams hold regular PACT meetings where residents can say what they think the policing priorities should be; the team will go away, look out how to tackle that and then come back with an update.

"In this way each team tailors its service to its communtity's needs."

The force has also been commended for its citizen-focused approach.

The HMIC said Lancashire Constabulary is “actively leading the field” and is now a 'beacon force' for others to look to.

Coun Malcolm Doherty, chair of Lancashire Police Authority, said: “This is excellent news for everyone who lives and works in Lancashire and is testimony to the commitment of the people who work for the constabulary."