For five years now, neighbourhood policing officers up and down the country have been tackling issues which make communities feel unsafe, including crime, anti-social behaviour, disorder, speeding and environmental issues such as street lighting.
And, in a return to the traditional image of the local 'bobby on the beat', the initiative has become particular important to rural communities like Garstang.
Sgt Nicki Bignell said: "Within policing there are response officers and then neighbourhood policing officers. If you were to pick up a phone because a theft had occurred and you wanted the police to attend, a response officer would probably arrive at your front door to investigate the incident. They work on a 24/7 basis.
"But the whole point of neighbourhood policing is having a local bobby in a local area. People should know those responsible for policing in their area. Now this scheme has extended to include police community support officers, so that the police are even more visible and easy to contact."
Within the Garstang area, each officer has been given specific targets to aim for, including reducing incidents of criminal damage by 20 per cent and reducing anti-social behaviour by 10 per cent.
But they have also been able to identify problem areas thanks to the community's response to surveys distributed during the recent 'Operation Market', concerns raised at 'Police and Communities Together' meetings, attendance at parish and town council meetings and through street briefings.
Sgt Bignell continued: "The neighbourhood policing team is committed to listening to your concerns and priorities and are determined to work within communities in partnership with other agencies to tackle problems. We are also responsible for feeding back to the community on what we have achieved.
"The 'bobby on the beat' image had been lost over the years, due to geographic locations and mobile phones. It is through public demand that we are trying to bring back that image. We want to reassure communities that the police are providing quality of service, reducing crime, addressing anti-social behaviour and tackling environmental issues.
"I think this is extremely important to rural communities such as Garstang and Over Wyre. People used to go for months without seeing a police officer. We need to reach out and contact people.
"I honestly believe neighbourhood policing is the key to the future of policing."