A TOWN'S police force has been reorganised in an effort to provide an improved service and make better use of officers.

Inspector Dale Allen, of Accrington Police, said the move should provide people with more officers at the times when they needed them most.

His area, which includes Accrington, Huncoat, Church and Oswaldtwistle, has been split up into four areas which will each be served by a team of police officers led by a police sergeant.

Insp Allen said: "In the past, we have had a situation where each officer has had a beat but when they were not on duty people on his or her beat, people may not have been able to get hold of them.

"So by splitting the area up into four sections and designating several officers plus a sergeant to each area, I hope we will solve that problem."

Officers have also had their shift patterns extended on certain days, meaning shifts will overlap at critical times.

Insp Allen said: "By doing this, we can make sure we have more officers on at critical times, such as at night when the town centre is busy or earlier in the evening when a lot of juvenile nuisance crimes are reported.

"One of the four areas is the town centre, which has never had a designated officer of its own in the past.

"We also have a sergeant based in Accrington who will collate information received from various sources and pass them on to the relevant officers.

"The aim is that our officers will go out on patrol with an aim and purpose each and every day, and will be able to become familiar with areas so they can tackle specific problems which affect the lives of the public we serve."

Insp Allen made the announcement at a Hyndburn Council meeting. He said: "One complaint we have had is that officers move on too quickly from a beat.

"I would urge all councillors to make contact with their relevant sergeant, who is more likely to be in one area for longer.

"Accrington has a lot of young officers who are all ambitious and inevitably, many of them will move on."

The moves were welcomed by councillors.

Huncoat councillor Douglas Deakin said: "It is good to see efforts being made to made the police more contactable and also more available at important times."