A FORMER police chief has pledged to act as a government "insider" for local people in his new role helping to cut crime.

David Smith, who retired as Assistant Chief Constable for Lancashire in December, took up his role of Crime Reduction Director for the North West this week.

Appointed by the Home Office, he is one of nine people championing the country's 376 Crime and Disorder Reduction Partnerships, helping them to reduce crime locally.

"It is a big job and a big challenge but I think that 35 years of working in the criminal justice field sets me up for the new role," said Mr Smith.

"I am looking forward to it and relish the challenge."

His role will involve building strong links with key members of the partnerships which include the police, local authorities, the probation service, health authorities and the voluntary and community sectors.

Mr Smith said: "Crime in Lancashire is currently in a healthy position, it is reducing. I hope to see that downward trend continuing."

Mr Smith said he sees himself as an "ally" between partnerships and central government, channelling information between parties. He added: "By meeting with and discussing issues with local partnerships, I can take on board their concerns and focus them through the regional government office and take the information back to them.

"Part of my job is to get out on the ground and try to get an insight to what's working well, so ultimately the community is better informed.

"Another element of the job is to pick up better practices nationally and feed them back into the region."

Mr Smith will also oversee the funding of crime reduction projects and will advise and brief ministers on developments in the North West. At the same time he will keep local partnerships informed about relevant national policy developments.

"Making sure that funding is better applied is a developing part of my role," said Mr Smith.

"In Blackburn where I've built up a network of reliable contacts over the years it is going to be easier than if I was starting from scratch.

"My job was created from the Government crime strategy last November. The Government is setting targets in areas such as robbery, burglary and vehicle crime and my job is to make sure that everything is being done by local partnerships to achieve those targets -- and that they are receiving every assistance to do that."

Mr Smith joined the Lancashire Constabulary as a police cadet in 1964.

Married with one son and an eight-year-old grand daughter, he retired from police service in December 1999 and lives in Tarleton, near Hutton. He has spent more than three decades in the force and was a former head of Blackburn Police.