TWO more secondary schools have been given their own dedicated police officer.

PC Alan Williams will be based at Brightlingsea’s Colne Community School and College, and Harwich and Dovercourt High School.

In a letter to parents PC Williams, who has been based at the Clacton County High School since 2007, said he had been drafted in to reduce crime and antisocial behaviour.

His role also involves educating pupils on issues like knife crime and cyber bullying.

PC Williams will divide his time between the three schools during the week.

But Nigel Mountford, headteacher at Harwich and Dovercourt, insisted the officer’s role was not to fight crime.

He said: “He is not here to solve crime, he is here to educate.

It is another element to the way we educate students.

“It has been a brilliant project and he does a mixture of things.

“He works with students, such as taking assemblies or lessons.

“He also raises their awareness of certain things, like cyber bullying and cyber grooming, and knife crime.

“He brings with him a status, but he is also grounded in the way he talks to young people.”

Mr Mountford said if there were any specific incidents that were spilling into school, PC Williams could host meetings with the students and parents involved, through a Restorative Justice approach.

Mr Mountford also said PC Williams had a greater understanding of issues such as cyber bullying, than teachers.

He said: “There is no way we could be doing that effectively.

“If youare letting someone like that in, in uniform, and they are talking to students, they are also gaining the trust of students and the perception is they are more human and more approachable.”

The PC’s role is being funded by Essex Police and not by any of the schools.

Nardeep Sharma, principal of Colne Community School and College, was contacted for comment but did not respond.