Essex Police Dispatch - issue 167
Essex Police Weekly Update
News 2 September to 8 September
Southend: Family fun at Police and Partners Open Day
The Southend Police and Partners Open Day once again proved popular as families flocked to the police station to get a look behind the scenes and meet their local officers.
Now in its second year, the event featured tours of Southend’s custody suite, public order demonstrations and lots of interactive fun with our crime scene investigators, Marine Unit, Rural Engagement Team and more.
Alongside our officers were teams from the East of England Ambulance Service, HM Coastguard, Essex County Fire and Rescue, the RNLI, the Safer Essex Roads Partnership, St John Ambulance, the drug and alcohol charity Open Road and the council’s community safety team.
Chief Constable welcomes new officers to Essex
Chief Constable Ben-Julian Harrington welcomed 52 new officers into the Essex Police family at a passing out parade at HQ in Chelmsford.
The officers of class intake 1/24 made their pledges in front of their families, friends and invited guests including Police, Fire and Crime Commissioner Roger Hirst, High Sheriff David Hurst, and Lord Lieutenant Jennifer Tolhurst.
The 31 men and 21 women will soon be out on duty across the county, catching criminals and helping to keep the public safe.
They join at a time when crime and anti-social behaviour in Essex are falling. There were 9,000 fewer offences committed in Essex in the past 12 months and ASB has more than halved in five years.
Harlow: Three arrests using live facial recognition
Three people have been arrested following the use of the forces Live Facial Recognition cameras in Harlow this weekend.
One suspect was arrested on suspicion of harassment, and had been wanted by police since May.
Another was wanted on suspicion of causing actual bodily harm, and a third person was wanted on suspicion of common assault.
Another person was positively identified in connection with a common assault and agreed to attend a police station for interview voluntarily.
Rural engagement officers seize more than 100 vehicles so far this year
Between 1 January and 31 August this year, our rural engagement officers recovered 68 stolen vehicles and seized another 42 for not being insured – a total of 110 in eight months.
Many of the stolen vehicles were tracked down following an investigation and recovered.
However, sometimes policing instinct plays its part. Just last week, officers were patrolling in rural Chelmsford when they noticed a digger parked in an odd place.
Although it hadn’t been reported stolen, the officers suspected it was and remained with it while they made some inquiries. It was reported stolen from the Epping Forest District by the owner while officers were still on scene.
During their inquiries, they also recovered a stolen Ford Fiesta with false number plates.
Twelve-year sentence for drug dealer after guilty plea
A drug dealer has pleaded guilty to five charges he was facing after seeing the strength of the case against him.
Anthony Watson, 31, of High Street, Walton-on-the-Naze, was arrested in Clacton in December 2022 in connection with a long-running drug supply investigation in Essex.
He was found in possession of Class A and Class B drugs, as well as an iPhone and a burner phone.
Basildon: Killer sentenced after death of Terry Leeks
The persistence and dedication of our specialist detectives has ensured justice for the family of Terry Leeks after a teenager was convicted of his manslaughter and sentenced.
We have not been able to report the result of this case before now due to the involvement of the person responsible in another, unconnected trial.
Terry was 46 when he was fatally stabbed in Northlands Park, Basildon at around 1.30am on 11 July 2021.
He was captured on CCTV entering the park on his bicycle a short time before the assault before a confrontation with a group of three or four people.
Detectives believe he had entered the park having arranged to meet someone.
Fishermen on the opposite side of the lake in the park, heard a disturbance and witnessed a coming together and Terry falling to the floor, they rushed to his aid and called emergency services.
Terry was taken to hospital but, sadly, later died there.
Man arrested in Thailand over complex drug supply investigation
A man has been arrested in Thailand in connection with a years-long Essex Police investigation into the wholesale supply of cocaine across the Southeast of England.
Our Serious and Organised Crime Unit (SOCU) has been carrying out enquiries into a suspected drug supply network, focusing on the sale of large quantities of Class A and B substances.
The investigation focused specifically on supply activity between July 2021 and May 2022.
As a result of this ongoing work, in partnership with the National Crime Agency, Royal Thai Police and Central Investigations Bureau, a significant arrest was made in the Phuket Province of Thailand on Sunday 1 September.
The 28-year-old man, from Wickford, was taken into custody and will now face extradition proceedings with the collaboration of the Thai Office of the Attorney General.
Southend: Justice secured for robbery and burglary victims
A violent offender who robbed a man at a cashpoint and burgled a woman’s bedroom while she slept has been jailed following investigations led by Southend CID.
Harry Fryett, 27, approached a stranger at a cash machine in Southend High Street in the early hours of 10 December 2022.
Approaching his victim from behind, Fryett used a baton to strike the man over the head.
He demanded cash, taking £50 from the victim before making off on a bicycle towards Southchurch Road.
We received calls from witnesses, who provided us with initial details. Our officers arrived at the scene, taking an initial account from the victim and taking him on to hospital.
M11: Officers act to catch speeding drivers
While many people had a day off work, our Road Crime Team and Roads Policing Unit officers were carrying out high visibility patrols, focussing on M11 and M25, on Bank Holiday, Monday 26 August, to keep it moving.
As officers dedicated to ensuring road safety on the strategic network, our officers carried out speed checks along the M11, capturing on camera, 25 drivers exceeding the 70mph national speed limit. Instead, all 25 thought it was advisable to travel at speeds between 90 and 108mph.
Essex Police museum open day success
A big thank you to everyone who came along to our museum open day. We welcomed more than 270 people to Essex Police HQ in Chelmsford. Visitors gained an insight into the history of policing in Essex through a range of fun activities and demonstrations. We even had a couple of vehicles used by our officers in the 1980s and 90s for people to look around.
But it wasn’t all about the past. We had police officers on hand to show people our modern police vehicles along with the specialist equipment we use today to catch criminals and keep people safe.
Everyone who attended was entered into a free prize draw to win a Limited Edition RS200 model police car, with Jenny from Chelmsford picking up the winning ticket.
Another big thank you to museum volunteer and history, heritage and photographic specialist, Graham White of Libervitae, for these wonderful photos.
To find out more about what our museum has to offer, please visit our website.
Let's talk
Upcoming community police events across Essex this week
Monday 9 September
10am to 12pm
Shoebury Community Centre, 151 West Road, Shoebury
10am to 12pm
Walton Forum, 61 High Street, Walton on Naze.
10am to 11am
Vange Library, Southview Road, Basildon SS16 4ET
10:30am to 11:30am
The Orchards Cafe, Mascalls Way, Great Baddow, Chelmsford
12pm to 1pm
Waitrose, Fossetts Way, Southend
Tuesday 10 September
10am to 11am
Waltham Abbey Leisure Centre, Hillhouse, Waltham Abbey EN9 3EL
10am to 11am
Northlands Park near the Cafe, Felmores
12pm to 1pm
East Tilbury Hub, Princess Avenue, East Tilbury
Wednesday 11 September
10am to 11am
Wimpole Road Church, 49 Wimpole Road, Colchester, Essex, CO1 2DN
10am to 11am
Kingsland Church, 86 London Road, CO3 9DW
11am to 12pm
Stanford Le Hope Library, High Street
1pm to 3pm
Frinton Community Centre, Soken House, The Triangle, Rochford Way, Frinton on Sea.
Thursday 12 September
10am to 11am
Morrisons Supermarket, Centenary Way, Little Clacton.
10am to 11am
St Osyth Village Hall, Clacton Road, St Osyth.
10am to 11am
Centre Place, Prospect Close, Southend
10am to 11am
Little Hallingbury Post Office, Lower Road, Little Hallingbury
11am to 12pm
Miracle House, Silver Island Way, Wickford, SS12 9NR
11:30am to 12:30pm
Takeley Community Cafe, Dunmow Road, Takeley
2pm to 3pm
Takeley Park, Station Road, Takeley
5pm to 6pm
Cluny Square Hub, 1 Cluny Square, Southend
Friday 13 September
10am to 11am
M&S Food, Unit 1, Brook Park West, T Grove, Clacton on Sea.
10am to 11:30am
Oasis Cafe, Orsett Church Centre, High Road
10am to 11am
Southend Christian Fellowship Plaza, 600 Southchurch Road, Southend
12pm to 1pm
IKEA Lakeside Customer restaurant, Heron Way, Essex
5pm to 6pm
Leigh Train Station, Belton Way, Leigh
Saturday 14 September
9am to 10am
Parkrun, Central Park, Chelmsford
3:30pm to 4:30pm
Lidl, 85 London Road, Southend
4pm to 5pm
Sainsburys Rayleigh Weir, 21 Stadium Way, Benfleet
For full details of upcoming events, please visit the Essex Police website and enter your postcode.
Be aware of drink spiking
If you're out with a friend, or friends, keep an eye out for them. If they appear to be more drunk than you'd expect, dizzy or slurring their words, take control and make sure they’re okay.
If you’re concerned, make sure they either get medical help or get home safely.
Be fraud smart
Ticket scams
Criminals can create fake websites or social media accounts to capture your personal information or card details or take your money. They can clone the websites or social media pages of genuine organisations with subtle changes in the URL, branding or language that can indicate they are fraudulent.
You may be sent or given tickets only to be told they are fake when you arrive at the venue.
It is always safest to book tickets through official sellers that are members of the self-regulatory body the Society of Ticket Agents and Retailers (STAR), as anything else could be a scam.
Join our team
Police staff jobs
Contact Centre Officers £24,921 to £27,351
Firearms Enquiry Officer £24,921
Senior Digital Forensic Specialist £45,546
Senior Digital Forensic Technician £30,870
Visit our website for full advert, job descriptions and application form.
This week we remember
Alexander Henry Barlow Mackay
Alexander Mackay served with Essex County Constabulary from 5 February 1935. After completing training at Headquarters, Alexander served in Chelmsford, Ongar, HQ and Romford before joining the R.A.F. on 15 September 1941. He was killed in a flying accident on Thursday 10 September 1942 whilst serving as Leading Aircraftsman 1335668 in the Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve. He was aged 28 and left a widow, Phyllis Mackay.
John Noel Rumsby
John Rumsby served with Essex County Constabulary from June 28, 1937 after working as a gardener for Captain Angus of Houghton. Having completed his training at Headquarters he was posted to Romford and then Upminster. John left the police on April 5,1942 and joined the R.A.F. the following day. He went missing presumed killed on Monday September 11,1944 whilst serving as Flight Sergeant 1586158 Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve. He was aged 27.
Francis William Tarry
Francis Tarry served with Essex County Constabulary from July 9, 1936. After training at Headquarters he worked at Braintree, Headquarters and Grays. Francis joined the army on September 14, 1943. Within a year, on Monday September 11, 1944, he was killed in action whilst serving as Trooper 14664847 with Nottinghamshire Yeomanry, R.A.C. He was aged 28.
Ernest William Wedlock
Ernest Wedlock served with Essex County Constabulary from December 17, 1986 as Constable 267. He was initially posted to Southend and latterly served in Colchester, Harwich, Boxted, Braintree, Coggeshall and Maldon. On May 31, 1915, Ernest enlisted with the Essex Regiment where he served in France where he was injured. He was transferred to 141st Company, Labour Corps and died on September 13, 1918.
Read more about other Essex officers on the Essex Police Memorial Trust website.
Obituaries
David Albert Hudson
The Chief Constable regrets to inform you of the sad death of our former colleague David Albert Hudson who retired as a Sergeant in 2006 and served at Grays, Thurrock, South Ockendon, Basildon and Brentwood. He passed away on the 7 August 2024 aged 73 years.
Peter King
The Chief Constable regrets to inform you of the sad death of our former colleague Peter King who retired as a Constable in 1996 and served at Basildon, Chelmsford and Headquarters. He passed away on the 18 August 2024 aged 83 years.
Michael Titmas
The Chief Constable regrets to inform you of the sad death of our former colleague Michael Titmas who retired as a Sergeant in 1988 and served at Clacton, Colchester, Chelmsford and Headquarters. He passed away on the 26 August 2024 aged 81 years.