LANCASHIRE's new chief constable today declared war on drugs dealers and addicts after revealing how his 82-year-old mother was mugged by a junkie.

Paul Stephenson, 48, was speaking after beginning what he described as "the best job in the UK".

He replaced Pauline Clare after being her deputy for three years.

He told how he was already worried about the force's budget for next year, how he once broke the speed limit and his ambition to make Lancashire Constabulary the best.

The new chief constable also said the addict who attacked his mother had greatly affected her and that it was a good example of why a crackdown was needed.

"It has and continues to affect her life," said Mr Stephenson who was born in Rossendale where he and his family still live, and who has served through East Lancashire during his time with the force.

"That's a good enough reason why we need to do more with drugs.

"You talk to an old lady who has been mugged and it is difficult for them to go out after that.

"I don't think we have done sufficient to target the scourge of drugs in communities."

He added that things were improving thanks to Safer Streets in Lancashire, a year-long campaign for which the force has been given extra funding to tackle drugs and street crime.

"We want to deal with drugs because we know that is one of the most corrosive effects on our communities," he said. "It's a big issue.

"We are now on the front foot and mounting a raid a day. We will act on every piece of intelligence we get.

"The results have been quite spectacular and have an effect on the business plans of major drug dealers.

"We are not going to solve the drugs problem and make Lancashire free of drugs.

Mr Stephenson said the force could be the best in the country by tackling five areas he believed the constabulary had underachieved in:

more community beat managers who engage with their community rather than superficially patrolling for effect;

achieving targets set by the government;

giving supervisors more power to make the best of their own resources;

improving communication through call centres which were dogged by problems until recently;

and by all officers becoming more accountable to the public and not avoiding responsibility.

"In the past the force has over promised and under delivered," he said. "Everyone wants a local cop, but I don't have the resources to do that so we can't promise that.

"I have concerns about next year's budget already, but no matter what we cannot go back on our ambition to be the best.

"I would like more money, but I would say that, wouldn't I? I will fight tooth and nail to get more resources."

He claimed that Lancashire was already the best force in many areas including problem orientated policing where officers solve rather than react, and by adopting the new national crime recording standard in August 2000 -- two years before many forces.

Mr Stephenson, a former head boy of Bacup and Rawtenstall Grammar School also defended speed cameras and told how he once drove 46 in a 40 zone.

"I broke the speed limit and was ashamed and stupid. People shouldn't speed.

"It's a load of rubbish to say police put up cameras to get money.

"We are not in the position of making profit out of speed cameras.

"The money is put back into road policing."