Essex Police Dispatch - issue 151
Essex Police Weekly Update
News 13 May to 19 May
Tackling anti-social driving and illegal car meets in Essex
As part of our road safety responsibilities, we are committed to tackling illegal car meets and ensuring public safety across our county.
Unauthorised car meets, or car cruises, are where drivers meet on the public highway or large public car parks to race or show their vehicles to others.
In recent years, they have gained popularity, often drawing large crowds of spectators and hundreds of cars in one place, distressing local residents through anti-social driving involving excessive noise and speeding.
Earlier this month, we received information that car meets were planned to take part in locations across our county with hundreds of cars expected (4-6 May).
In response, we issued a number of Dispersal Orders to address the illegal gatherings.
Thankfully, a car meet in Tilbury passed off peacefully as drivers followed officers’ directions to leave the area quietly.
RoadPeace Challenge 2024: 1766 Miles Together
Well done to our colleagues who took part in this year’s RoadPeace Challenge as they cycled their way around Essex’s towns and villages to raise awareness about the number of people killed in collisions on the UK’s roads.
Quick survey - help us improve Dispatch
We'll soon begin a summer campaign to promote our Dispatch email newsletters and before we start, we're really interested to know what you think of what we send you each week. This 5 question survey will only take a minute to complete.
Harlow: Clear, Hold, Build regeneration project launched in The Stow
Residents, business owners and charity representatives joined police, NHS and council staff for an event at Moot House.
Vision Zero partners work together to keep roads safe
Roads Policing officers worked with the Safer Essex Roads Partnership and School Speedwatch to hold a day of action on Wednesday 15 May, highlighting road safety issues and targeting drivers who were breaking the law in Chelmsford.
Two tonnes of seized and surrendered knives destroyed in a year
Any knife, in the wrong hands, is dangerous so we encourage people to dispose of knives safely in our knife bins
Read more
Meet retired Inspector Brad Dickel
Brad Dickel recently retired as an Essex Police Inspector after 32 years of service. Find out about his experience of policing and his career highlights.
Chelmsford: Team work from PDs Lewis and Kaiser leads to robbery arrests
Work by Police Dogs Lewis and Kaiser leads to four teenagers being arrested in connection with knife-point robberies in Chelmsford on 11 May.
Sharon Butler
Leigh: Man sentenced to life for murder
Kevin Shepherd, 55, of Whitehouse Meadows, has been handed a life sentence for the murder of his sister, 64-year-old Sharon Butler.
Armed robbers jailed after targeting service station
Two armed criminals who used an imitation firearm and a knife to rob a service station have been jailed for a combined 11 years.
The sentence follows a thorough investigation carried out by our Serious and Organised Crime Unit.
Launch of week of action targeting knife crime in Essex
In Essex, our focus is on identifying the people likely to become perpetrators of knife crime – and isolating what work can be done to reach them.
Let's talk
Upcoming community police events across Essex this week
Monday 20 May
10am to 11am
Walton Community Forum, High Street, Walton on Naze
7:30pm to 8:30pm
Civic Centre, Victoria Avenue, Southend
Tuesday 21 May
10am to 11am
Gossip, 14 High Street, Great Wakering SS3 0EQ
10am to 11am
Oasis Cafe, Frinton Free Church, Connaught Avenue, Frinton on Sea.
Wednesday 22 May
10am to 11am
Hullbridge Parish Council, 98 Ferry Road, Hullbridge, Hockley, SS5 6EX
10am to 11am
Newport Coffee Morning, Church House, Newport
11am to 12pm
Outside Marks & Spencer, 62 High Street, Chelmsford, United Kingdom
11am to 12pm
Henham Community Shop, High Street, Henham
2:30pm to 3:30pm
Stebbing Community Shop, High Street
Thursday 23 May
9:30am to 11:30am
CVST, Harwich Hub, High Street, Harwich.
11am to 12pm
Sainsbury's, Cricketers Retail Park, Cricketers Way, Basildon. SS131SA
11am to 1pm
Dementia Cafe, Saint Cuthbert's Catholic Church, Chapel Road, Burnham-on-Crouch
11:30am to 12:30pm
Chadwell St Mary Information Centre, Brentwood Road
2:30pm to 3:30pm
Costa, Cherry Orchard Way, Rochford SS4 1PN
3pm to 4pm
Co-op, Church Road, Stansted
Friday 24 May
10:00am to 12:00pm
Co-op Food, 45 Spa Road, Hockley SS5 4BE
11am to 12pm
Kent Elms Library, 1 Rayleigh Road, Leigh on Sea
12pm to 1:30pm
Essex Wildlife Trust Hanningfield Reservoir Nature Discovery Park, Hanningfield Reservoir Visitors Centre, Hawkswood Road, Downham, Billericay.
12pm to 1:30pm
Cafe on the Water & Gift Shop, Giffords Lane, Downham, Chelmsford
Saturday 25 May
9am to 10am
Parkrun, Central Park, Chelmsford
10am to 11am
Manningtree Market, Market Place, Manningtree.
11am to 1pm
Unit 17, The Grove Shopping Centre, Witham
Sunday 26 May
8am to 2pm
Cycle marking - Outside Civic Offices, 323 High Street, Epping
10am to 11am
Morrisons Supermarket, Centenary Way, Little Clacton.
For full details of upcoming events, please visit the Essex Police website and enter your postcode.
Crime prevention
The precious metal in catalytic converters is targeted by criminals.
To keep yours safe, ask your car dealer if they can give you any advice on locks or guards that are approved by the vehicle manufacturer.
You can also register your converter and mark it with a forensic marker, which will make it harder for thieves to dispose of.
Be fraud smart
Scam Alert!
We have seen an increase in fraudsters targeting Essex with courier fraud.
This fraud can come in many forms but usually it involves someone contacting you claiming to be from your bank or a known company.
They tell you that something is wrong with your bank card, or an item and they will send a courier to your address to collect the card, cash or other valuables.
Stay alert to these scams.
Join our team
Police staff jobs
Finance Business Partner £53,529
Engineering Services Manager £53,529
Business Service Assistant £23,121
Contact Centre Officers £24,921 to £27,351
Detention Officers £28,409 to £32,335
Visit our website for full advert, job descriptions and application form.
This week we remember
Reginald Thomas Hunt
After training, police constable Reginald Thomas Hunt was posted to Clacton and then to Grays. He left the police on 7 September 1941 and joined the R.A.F. the following day. He was the wireless operator of 7 Squadron, Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve when, in the early hours of 20 May 1944 the aircraft was hit by light flak and crashed. All the crew, presumably including Reginald, were killed on 20 May 1944.
Albert Ronald Oxenham
Police constable Albert Ronald Oxenham joined Essex County Constabulary on 27 September 1937, having previously worked as a waiter at The Queens Hotel in Hastings. After training at Headquarters, Albert was posted to Brentwood, Rochford and Canvey Island. Albert joined the R.A.F. on 6 October 1941. He was killed in the early hours of Monday, 22 May 1944.
Read more about other Essex officers on the Essex Police Memorial Trust website.
Obituaries
Stewart Rowe
The Chief Constable regrets to inform you of the sad death of our former colleague Stewart Rowe who retired as a Det Inspector in 1999 and served at:
Southend Constabulary 9th February 1969 as Police Constable, later appointed as Detective Constable. Promoted to Detective Sgt and posted to Basildon. Seconded for 3 years to Scotland Yard to the Regional Intelligence Unit C11. Returned to Essex Police on promotion to uniform Inspector and posted to Basildon. Posted as Detective Inspector at Brentwood, Training School in 1989 to lead Detective training, and Grays as a Detective Inspector. Posted to Chelmsford as uniform Inspector and final posting was as Detective Inspector as Divisional Intelligence Coordinator. On retirement who rejoined as an Employee Relations Officer as a Support Staff Member.
He passed away on the 30 April 2024 aged 74 years.