A Kent police officer has joined a Home Office taskforce which is helping to crackdown on some of the worst anti-social behaviour blackspots in the country.

Chief Inspector Mark Harrison, head of Kent Police's partnership and crime reduction department, is one of 10 experts appointed by Home Secretary John Reid to the taskforce.

"Anti-social behaviour is the stuff that blights lives in towns and rural areas," said Mr Harrison. "The police can't tackle it on their own.

"The progress we have made in Kent has resulted from joining forces with a wide range of other organisations."

Mr Harrison is one of the organisers of the Young Persons Respect Awards 2006 being run by the Kent Messenger Group and Kent Police.

Go to the Respect Awards pages in our Special Reports section for the full story.