Chief Superintendent Kevin Price, of Newport, was praised in the House of Commons for going back on the beat in the city.

Wales minister Don Touhig agreed with Newport East MP Alan Howarth that the superintendent was leading by example by being regularly on the beat.

Mr Touhig told the Welsh affairs committee: "The prime minister has said they do not just want to see the bobby on the beat. They want a strong, organised, uniformed presence back on our streets."

"I commend the commitment of Gwent Police to the introduction of police ward managers, which will mean 66 extra bobbies on the beat."

Mr Howarth said that in Newport Chief Supt Price was deploying individual police officers to each ward to build a relationship with the local community.

"They will be supported by uniformed community support officers to give local residents additional reassurance, and to deter anyone minded to indulge in anti-social behaviour."

Monmouth MP Huw Edwards said under-age drinking was a particular nuisance in his constituency, "where a tremendous amount of litter, debris and glass is being left on the village green and playing fields".

Mr Touhig said "We are living in a time when there is a culture of binge drinking among young people, and for both social and health reasons it is important to tackle that."

Chief Supt Price went back out on the beat for the first time in 20 years, taking time out each week to patrol the streets, and speak to both residents and his officers.

He said: "When you're responsible for the policing of a city it's easy to deal with incidents just in numbers, without appreciating the impact on the victims and their families," he said.

He said his experiences of speaking to victims of anti-social behaviour and juvenile crime had a marked effect on him after speaking to one Newport victim.

Chief Supt Price said: "It was clear that the mindless acts of a number or juveniles were having a massive impact on the quality of life of the victim, his family and his neighbours."