Kemi Badenoch MP for the Saffron Walden constituency and the Police, Fire and Crime Commissioner for Essex, Roger Hirst, held a public meeting for residents from across Uttlesford.
The meeting, held in the Dourdan Pavilion in Great Dunmow, provided a platform for the public to voice their perspectives on local policing and emergency response.
Roger Hirst highlighted significant achievements in local policing in recent years, underscoring the commitment to creating safe and secure communities. Key accomplishments include a 5.7% year-on-year reduction in overall crime across Essex, a substantial 37.6% decrease in anti-social behaviour, and noteworthy declines in domestic abuse (15.2%) and violence against the person (11.5%).
Mrs Badenoch noted that since 2016, Essex Police has grown in strength, with the recruitment of 905 additional officers, bringing the total force to 3,755 – the largest and strongest in its history. This growth has contributed to the positive trend of decreasing crime rates in the region.
The success story extends beyond law enforcement, as the PFCC emphasised collaborative efforts with the Fire and Rescue Service. The fire service, once plagued by a "toxic culture," has transformed into a nationally recognized example of positive change. By working closely with communities and partners, they have reduced house fires by 20% in the last five years, actively responded to road incidents, and demonstrated effective coordination in pandemic response efforts.
The Rural Engagement team successfully managed 66 unauthorised encampments across Essex, with 10 in Uttlesford, and dealt with 43 incidents of hare coursing in the district – a 34% reduction from the previous year.
The PFCC also highlighted the impact of the Safer Streets Fund, with over £3 million invested in local communities since 2020. This fund has supported initiatives to enhance lighting, install CCTV, engage with the community, and improve the layout of areas where residents feel unsafe. An additional £5 million from the Local Safer Streets Fund will be deployed in the next 18 months to further enhance street safety across Essex.
Learn more about Essex Police’s Public Meeting series here: https://www.essex.pfcc.police.uk/public-meeting-minutes/
Commenting, Mrs Badenoch said:
“This meeting was a great opportunity to discuss community crime with Essex Police and residents from across Uttlesford - tackling issues ranging from vehicle theft, to hare coursing and anti-social behaviour.
“This Government’s commitment to hiring 20,000 officers, and the hard work by Roger and his team are having a real impact on our communities.
“The increased officer numbers are benefitting the Uttlesford District and contribute to the ongoing efforts to maintain community safety and improve police visibility in our towns and villages.”
Commenting, PFCC Roger Hirst said:
“We were pleased to host a lively and informative public meeting with Kemi Badenoch MP.
“Our public meetings are a great way to hear directly from local communities about any concerns they might have or issues they are experiencing.”
“The meetings are also a great opportunity for us to brief residents on how we are working together with a range of partners to achieve the priorities in both our Police and Crime Plan and Fire and Rescue Plan, including our recent success in bringing all crime down in Essex by 5.9% year-on-year to the end of January 2024.”
