ESSEX Police has celebrated the first anniversary since the launch of its town teams project with a message from Assistant Chief Constable Rachel Nolan thanking communities.

Town teams in Thurrock cover Grays, Tilbury, Purfleet, South Ockendon and Stanford-le-Hope and ACC Nolan has told residents in those areas: "Thank you for welcoming our officers into your communities. They have become part of them as we all come together to fight crime and anti-social behaviour, making our town centres safer.

"By working together, we can keep the tide turning and put a stop to anti-social behaviour, drug dealing and other insidious crimes which cause irreparable harm to families, friends and our communities."

Yesterday (Monday, 27 July) Thurrock Nub News [L] https://thurrock.nub.news/n/police-report-on-grays-town-centre-crackdown [L+]reported on the latest initiative in Grays which saw knife crime in the town targeted.

Across the county the force says: "In the last year our town centre teams have made more than 1,000 arrests and led more than 2,000 investigations – bolstering our ability to catch criminals and keep you safe.

"The teams have worked hard to make your towns safer by catching drug dealers, shoplifters, those carrying weapons, as well as dealing with anti-social behaviour.

"By working with you, our local communities, these teams have increased the information and intelligence we receive which helps us catch more criminals and prevent and detect crime.

"Catch the bad guys"

"Our town centre teams have built close relationships with residents, businesses, community groups, councils and other organisations over the past year to get to the root of ongoing local issues and tensions."

ACC Nolan continued: "We are increasing the numbers of new officers who will be bolstering our work to protect and serve our communities and catch the bad guys.

"Our new Community Safety Engagement Officers will be looking at solving those longer term problems which really do affect people's quality of life, at addressing issues that are priorities for communities and telling you about what they are doing so you know more about what's happening in your town."

Since the start of the COVID-19 lockdown in March, the force says its town centre teams carried out extra patrols to help protect closed businesses and since June have worked in partnership with them and local councils as they reopen.

A spokesperson added: "Last weekend, it became compulsory to wear face coverings in shops. Again, our town centre teams have worked with local businesses to support them through this change and make shopping an enjoyable and safe experience for all."

Roger Hirst, Police, Fire and Crime Commissioner for Essex, says: "We provide the funding to enable Essex Police to boost officer numbers making the force the strongest it's been in many years.

"After listening to the public and local businesses and traders it's clear that people want more officers in their town centres and the launch of these teams last year, alongside other expansions to the rural, business crime, schools and roads policing teams are a big success. People are very pleased to have them there and are reassured to have them around.

"Local, visible and accessible policing and preventing crime from happening in the first place are key priorities in our Police and Crime Plan. I would like to personally thank everyone who makes this possible and every single officer, member of police staff, volunteers and our local partner agencies who work together every day in these teams - making such a difference to keeping Essex safe and secure."