Agenda item

To receive a presentation from Essex Police’s District Commander for Brentwood and Epping Forest, Chief Inspector Denise Morrissey.

The Chairman introduced the District Commander for Brentwood and Epping Forest, Chief Inspector D Morrissey and Superintendent A Mariner, responsible for Territorial Policing in the West Local Policing Area (LPA), Essex Police to the Select Committee.

Chief Inspector D Morrissey gave a presentation in which she outlined the following:

(a)  Epping Forest District had 8 tube stations;

(b)  The district borders three Metropolitan Police boroughs;

(c)  80% of criminal suspects the Police had here, lived outside the district;

(d)  April – August 2015 – 3,222 crimes reported in the area;

(e)  April – August 2016 – 3,530 crimes reported in the area, which constituted an increase of 9.5% (308 crimes);

(f)   Violent crimes against the person; (i) without injury - saw an increase of 24% and (ii) with an injury - went up by 32%. Approximately 30% of violent crime occurred in the home.

(g)  Acquisitive Crime:

·         16% decrease in dwelling burglary

·         5.6% decrease in theft from motor vehicles

·         5.1% increase in theft of a motor vehicle

·         25.7% decrease in robbery

(h)  Anti-Social Behaviour – 3.4% increase in offences (66 more offences).

(i)    Chief Inspector D Morrissey had established a problem solving team and Community Hub in September 2014 for co-ordinating anti-crime efforts.

(j)    Resourcing had been a major factor in policing recently as Epping Police Station had closed and the nearest police station to the district was now in Harlow. A police contact point had been established at the District Council for reporting low level crime and Chief Inspector D Morrissey had 10 Police Constables and 10 Police Community Support Officers.

(k)  Moving forward – two important police operations had been initiated, Operation Scorpion for dealing with travelling criminals and Operation Raptor, an anti-gang project.

The Chairman opened the session for questions from members. Chief Inspector D Morrissey and Superintendent A Mariner responded as follows:

(i)    Since Epping Police Station had closed, the district did have a small team of detectives; she urged that people should continue to report crimes; the District Council Community Safety Team could be contacted as well. Loughton Police Station had a yellow telephone outside for the public to report crimes.

(ii) The online reporting system for crime did not work very well; it was acknowledged that various faults were apparent. However Essex Police was trying to correct these.

(iii) Resourcing problems meant that better communication was necessary and intelligence led policing was even more important. Motor cycle users on private farm land could be caught if more was known about where they lived.

(iv) The Police advised that there had been a big reduction in crime connected to the night-time economy, particularly in Epping. In partnership with the Council, the Police had been successful in closing a night club and putting another establishment under a review.

(v) Superintendent A Mariner advised that the Active Citizen Scheme provided a wide scope for supporting the Police through voluntary activity; volunteers could support vulnerable people at police stations or look on Ebay for stolen property.

The Safer Communities Manager advised that she would put at item in the Council Bulletin regarding the local virtual community hub.

RESOLVED:

That the presentation and subsequent answers provided by Chief Inspector D Morrissey, Essex Police District Commander for Brentwood and Epping Forest be noted.