ONE of Ipswich's top police officers is playing a leading role at a national conference aimed at cracking down on street prostitution.Superintendent Alan Caton is among the speakers at the Association of Chief Police Officers'(ACPO) vice conference being held in Gloucestershire today.

ONE of Ipswich's top police officers is playing a leading role at a national conference aimed at cracking down on street prostitution.

Superintendent Alan Caton is among the speakers at the Association of Chief Police Officers'(ACPO) vice conference being held in Gloucestershire today.

Supt Caton has been one of the major figures involved in Ipswich's strategy to tackle the town's vice problem after five sex workers were killed in December last year.

The bodies of Gemma Adams, 24, Tania Nicol, 19, Anneli Alderton, 24, Paula Clennell, 24 and Annette Nicholls, 29, were discovered in rural locations around Ipswich with ten days of each other.

Since then police have joined forces with various agencies in a concerted bid to eradicate the problem of street prostitution.

Because of the work in Ipswich, Supt Caton has given a presentation on “Why Should We Make the Policing of Prostitution a Priority?” to senior officers from other forces.

Using what occurred in December as an example, Supt Caton stressed the need to get prostitutes off the street and away from potential harm.

He said: “We know they are subject to violence, in some cases extreme violence. From the police perspective we need to highlight what happened to us could happen anywhere.

“It's a hugely complex subject

“There is a drive to change policy towards getting rid of prostitution.

“It's about reducing harm, not only to women, but to communities. It is certainly quite a powerful, fast-moving presentation.

“People realise it's (Ipswich) an ordinary town, they have a street prostitution problem and it could happen to them.”