To receive a presentation on Police Performance from Chief Inspector Paul Ballard, Essex Police.
Minutes:
The Chairperson introduced Chief Inspector Paul Ballard (CI) from Essex Police.
CI Ballard provided Members with a detailed presentation and highlighted the following areas:
• Maldon Performance Summary - In the past rolling month to September 2023, all crime was down by 14.4% meaning 557 less offences. Anti-Social Behaviour (ASB) was down by 49.4%, which fell from 478 in 2022 to 242 in 2023 which is a difference of 236 incidents. Residential Burglary was down by 11.9% which equated to 13 less offences. These statistics were against an increase force wide of 5.1%. Other areas of note were violence with injury which was down 7.4%, robbery was down by 20% and theft offences were up by 41.8%
• How we are enforcing the priorities in Maldon – The following was outlined:
• More officers are being recruited on a rolling basis which means more visibility on the street.
• Risk assessing all ASB incidents and grading them with emphasis on personal, nuisance and environmental ASB.
• Police cars marked with Rural Patrol badges concentrating on our rural areas.
• Tri Service Officer - Providing a visible presence and making early interventions, focusing on protection, prevention and response to the Maldon and Dengie peninsular area.
• Community Safety Engagement Officer (CSEO) for Maldon.
• Maldon has a dedicated Town Centre team.
• Closer liaison with our Neighbourhood Watch teams.
• Regular operations in and around Maldon targeting ASB vehicle use and speeding.
• Community engagement with local children clubs such as Cubs and Scouts to offer help and support.
• Foot patrols in the Maldon District - Maldon Town Team, The Community Policing Team and the CSEO’s provide a visible presence in the local community, resolving issues by adopting a partnership and problem-solving approach. Essex Police carry out regular foot patrols in the district, so we can speak to members of the public and businesses to discuss any concerns they have. Foot patrol facilitates relationship-building between officers and the community and allows us to identify crime trends and hotspots. We ensure our patrols cover the 138 square miles of district to keep the public and local businesses safe.
• Community Engagement - The Maldon Community Policing Team and CSEOs work closely with our community safety partners, which include local councils, fire service, probation and health services to ensure we support our rural and urban communities. Engagement Officers work with partners to reduce crime, anti-social behaviour, and to protect vulnerable people, helping to provide long term solutions to problems. We attend events for older generations to tackle isolation and loneliness, work with children and young adults to discuss issues such as anti-social behaviour, drug use, exploitation, online safety and much more. We hold community events where we discuss crime prevention and personal safety. Our aim within Essex Police is to build better relationships with the communities we work and live in.
• School and nursery visits - The CSEOs attend many schools and nurseries within the District to talk about emergency services, how we support communities and much more. We join in with break time activities, support the staff during lunches and let the children try on police uniforms. Our work with the Safer Essex Roads Partnership sees us taking lessons with Year 5 pupils and educating them about road safety.
The children even get the opportunity to stand alongside a uniformed police officer and stop drivers that travel over the speed limit. Together we educate offenders about the dangers and consequences of speeding near to the schools.
• Enforcement - The Maldon Community Policing Team have had big successes with removing drugs from our streets. The Town Team with the support of specialist roles have seized Vehicles being used for drug supply from our roads, and drivers prosecuted for driving without insurance.
The use of stop and search powers are regularly used to protect people and take weapons and drugs from our streets.
High Visibility patrols have reduced the number of anti-social behaviour incidents within the district, helping to keep the public safe and stop those that cause annoyance and distress to others.
• Speed Checks - We have continued with our fight against speeding drivers. We have carried our numerous speed checks across the District in Purleigh, Wickham Bishops, Maldon and Cock Clarks. We listen to the public and local Parish Councils regarding speeding concerns and act on this. We have worked closely with the Safer Essex Roads Partnership and volunteers who keep our roads safe with Community Speed Watch.
• Rural Engagement Team Patrols - The Rural Engagement Team are working hard in the Maldon District, to tackle unauthorised encampments, Hare coursing, rural road safety, wildlife and heritage crime, Industrial fly tipping, theft of agricultural equipment and machinery, damage to historical and scheduled monuments, vehicle thefts, and more. The Rural Engagement Team provide high visibility patrols in rural locations on foot, bike and off-road vehicles.
• Hare Coursing - Incidents of Hare coursing in Essex have dropped by half in the past year as word gets out that Hare coursers are not welcome in our county. In the 12 months to 31 March 2023, 180 incidents were recorded, compared with 363 for the previous 12 months – a drop of 183 or 50.4%.
Our Rural Engagement Team make sure they focus on Hare coursing and poaching as they understand the damage, the cost of that damage and the fear this cruel crime can cause in our more isolated communities.
Following the presentation and in response to questions from the Committee, CI Ballard provided the following information:
• As part of a larger Essex Police initiative, the Rural Engagement Team has increased their visual presence in villages. It is the initiative to prevent crime before it starts; to be proactive as opposed to reactive.
• There isn’t currently an interview room that the Police could use within the Community Hub area at the Maldon District Council Offices, however, there are plans for an additional area to be set out for Police and partners to use which would satisfy the Police and Criminal Evidence Act 1984.
• The social economic effects that the Country faces will always have an impact on crime, so the cost-of-living crisis may be contributing to the current increase in theft.
The Chairperson thanked CI Ballard for attending the meeting and his presentation.