Blunkett asks police chiefs for more beat bobbies on beat

David Blunkett has summoned the country's chief constables to urge them to put more officers back on the beat and do more to tackle low-level crime.

The Home Secretary has called a special law and order summit in central London today to promote his next big policing reform - the return to community policing and "beat bobbies". Mr Blunkett will also quiz the police chiefs for ideas on tackling terrorism and organised crime, and will discuss the possible creation of an FBI-style national force.

Ministers want police chiefs to follow the example of forces such as Merseyside and West Midlands who have put hundreds of their officers back on the beat. They have concentrated on tackling crimes such as vandalism and antisocial behaviour which local communities have complained about.

They have also championed the use of community support officers, who have limited powers but are quick to train and cost much less than a fully qualified police officer.

Mr Blunkett is expected to tell the police chiefs and the heads of their police authorities: "We want to build a bolder and more ambitious framework to tackle crime and the fear of crime in our communities."

He will continue: "There are already excellent examples of community-based policing, but more can be done to better connect local policing to local areas. This is particularly true in tackling antisocial behaviour and low-level crime. But serving the community cannot be at the expense of tackling the terror threat and fighting organised crime."

* Paul Evans, 54, the commissioner of Boston police, has been appointed director of the Police Standards Unit by the Home Secretary to raise the standards of police forces in England and Wales.