Broads police marking 20 years patrolling afloat

Many will be heading to the Broads in Norfolk and Suffolk this summer which will undoubtedly mean a busy time for the police officers who patrol the waterways.

This year the Broads Beat is celebrating a special anniversary.

For the past two decades, a succession of police officers have been patrolling the Norfolk & Suffolk Broads, involved in a whole range of tasks.

River searches, crime prevention or simply to provide help and advice.

The personnel may have changed but the message remains the same.If you're on a boat, it's sensible to wear a life jacket.

This summer is the 20th anniversary of Norfolk Police's Broads Beat team.

It'll be responsible for the 125 navigable miles of waterways connected to the Broads, and on request, can patrol in Suffolk too.

Ish Najjar is the one full time officer on the Broads Beat.

His colleagues are deployed from other areas of the force.

With seven rivers to cover and the busiest time of the year approaching, it's a challenge.

Police officers have been patrolling the Broads since the early part of the last century but in 1983 because of financial reasons the service was stopped.

It was resumed in 1995, this time working in partnership with local firms who helped fund the scheme. That's how it runs today.

Click below to watch a report on the Broads Beat by ITV News Anglia's Malcolm Robertson