FIFTEEN new police officers will join the city centre policing team, with the first batch arriving next month, Gwent Police has confirmed.

Gwent Police inspector John Davies revealed he will welcome five new “probationary” constables to his team in June, with five more arriving in July, and a further five in September.

The new officers will have completed their training by the time they hit the streets.

They will also arrive in the city centre at a time when Gwent Police is under pressure from Newport businesses to stem a wave of violence which they say has grown unchecked over the last six months.

An open letter written by Newport Business Improvement District has put pressure on Newport City Council and Gwent Police to act this week, highlighting public safety, crime, anti-social behaviour and street begging as key concerns for 400 city centre businesses.

Gwent Police’s latest ‘Your Voice’ survey backs up the concerns raised by BID, and has led to Inp Davies announcing three new priorities for the city centre policing team.

In his blog, published on the Gwent Police website, he wrote: “A number of operations are ongoing looking at our priorities, all designed to encourage people back into the city centre.

“It remains really important that the public continue to report any incidents of antisocial behaviour or criminal activity to us so we can deal with individuals responsible and ‘persuade’ them that these public spaces are for the use of the many, not the few.

“To that end we have had the latest ‘Your Voice’ survey results and have decided our next priorities based on a far more pleasing level of engagement from people who use the city centre than we have had before.

“The priorities, in this order, will be as follows;

• Antisocial behaviour and nuisance behaviour, including bikes and young people being intimidating around Westgate Square

• Drug use and dealing within the city centre

• Parking issues

“These are the three areas identified by you and we will be targeting them over the coming months.

“Can I reiterate that we need people to come forward with information, so it’s really important you let us know via any of the means below if you can help.”