A NEW father was thrust into the spotlight on Monday as the faceof a countywide advertising campaign aimed at drawing Norfolk's local policing teams closer to their communities.

A NEW father was thrust into the spotlight on Monday as the face

of a countywide advertising campaign aimed at drawing Norfolk's local policing teams closer to their communities.

Sgt Ed Brown will soon become a familiar sight as his image travels around the county on the side of 142

buses to publicise Norfolk's safer neighbourhood policing teams.

And the first person to take an admiring glance at the image was Sgt Brown's

five-and-a-half-month-old son Freddie. Accompanied by his mother, Trisha, the youngster was happy to pose alongside his father to promote the new initiative.

Sgt Brown's profile appears on the buses alongside the message “Get to know your local safer neighbourhood team”.

The campaign, which was launched on Monday, has been funded through a £16,000 Home Office grant and is part of a national drive to promote neighbourhood policing.

Sgt Brown, 28, who works with Harleston and Long Stratton safer neighbourhood teams, said he was very proud to have been chosen as “the face” of the campaign.

He said: “We are hoping

this campaign will encourage people to come along and meet us and get involved. If my

face helps show that safer neighbourhood teams are approachable and friendly, then all the better. If people can actually see a human being they will realise that we are just like anyone else; we are approachable and we are here to listen and help.”

Police say the campaign builds on the force's

first county neighbourhood policing newsletter - delivered last month to 390,000 households - which gives details of the teams and priorities for each of its 52 safer neighbourhood teams.

The campaign also provides the first outing for the constabulary's new-look visual identity - a clean, contemporary monochrome crest with the new strap-line “Our Priority is You”.

The new crest will be phased in from April, when the organisation moves from its current three division structure to a single policing territory, known as the county delivery unit.

Norfolk chief constable Ian McPherson said: “Although our campaign is focusing on the police members of the teams, safer neighbourhoods result from partnership working.

“Working alongside our local authority partners allows joined-up solutions for the kind of issues that matter to residents, for example, anti-social behaviour.”

For details on your local safer neighbourhood team contact 0845 456 4567 or visit www.safernorfolk.police.uk