A RURAL community officer will tackle crime and fear of crime in three north Kent villages.

As part of Kent County Council (KCC) and Kent Police’s Rural Partnership Scheme launched last May, Steve Poile, 42, who lives in Burham, will take to the streets of Meopham, Culverstone and Vigo.

He will work with residents to solve problems and build community spirit, acting as the eyes and ears of the police.

Steve, who was in the Army for 14 years, trained for eight weeks for his new role, learning law, first aid and shadowing a working warden.

The married father-of-one said: “The appeal for me was working in a community similar to my own and building the sort of community I would like to live in.

“I hope to bring many benefits to the area and encourage people to help build up a good community spirit.” The scheme was launched last May with just 12 wardens but by the end of the year this will have risen to 30 and will reach 100 in the next three years.

A KCC spokesman said: “We have had an enormous response and good feedback from the police, parish councils and rural businesses.

“It is an enormously rewarding scheme and the amount of reported crime in some areas has dropped since community wardens were introduced.”