Staff say everyone wins from the police presence

Police said the activities of between 50-60 pupils at Rhyl High School had led to the visits.

Acting head Martin Finch said the police presence was "a positive move".

In the past two years, officers have been called out to more than 40 incidents at the site, which also has a leisure centre within the complex.

These have included anti-social behaviour to assault and criminal damage.

As well as the community support officers, a police dog handler also visits the school grounds when possible.

We've invited them onto the site so that our pupils can get to know the police and the police can get to know them Inspector Roly Schwarz

Inspector Roly Schwarz said: "We were very worried that there was the potential in school for just a few people to influence others massively in terms of bad behaviour."

He blamed the problems at the school on the number of pupils from what he called "transient families" who live "a chaotic lifestyle and they have no loyalty to the community".

"This is the only school where we patrol school premises and grounds, and almost have to provide a policing presence when they [the pupils] are out of school at dinner-time to prevent anti-social behaviour," he said.

Inspector Schwarz said officers had dealt with a number of problems, including an assault on a teacher who confronted a pupil for wearing a hooded top, which the school has banned. "We are working with the school, they do a fantastic job under really difficult circumstances - I'm not critical of any member of the staff," he said.

There are around 1,200 pupils at the school

Mr Finch said the police were not there specifically to crack down on troublemakers.

"We've invited them onto the site so that our pupils can get to know the police and the police can get to know them," he said.

"Everyone is winning as a result - it's very positive, it's a partnership, it's very effective and the vast majority of pupils are delighted to see them. "It helps break down the barriers between the pupils and the police.

"Patrolling is the wrong word - they talk to the pupils and the staff, but they're not involved in maintaining discipline, that's our job."

A spokesperson for Denbighshire County Council said: "We welcome the way in which Rhyl High School has developed such a positive and workable relationship with their local police officers. It has proved very successful and has led to a much better relationship between pupils and police.