Agenda item

To consider the attached report on the work of the Council-funded Police Officers over the last six months.

The Service Manager for Community Resilience, C Wiggins, presented a report on the work of the Council-funded Police Officers. This report was originally due to be considered at the previous meeting of the Committee but had been deferred until this meeting due to the Covid-19 pandemic.

The Service Manager reported that the Council continued to fund the employment of an additional Police Sergeant and 2 Police Constables to supplement existing local policing resources. The team was incepted in July 2018 with an initial 3-year contract, which had now been extended for a further two years. The team was tasked with District Community Safety Partnership (CSP) priorities which were identified through the Annual Strategic Assessment and aligned with the priorities set by the Police, Fire and Crime Commissioner (PFCC). As well as working to those priorities, the team could be requested, via a tasking process, to support any Council department where there was an identified threat, harm or risk to staff. A service level agreement was in place to prevent abstraction of the officers except in extreme cases or high priority incidents. This also covered staff sickness and extended training periods through credit to the Council from Essex Police.

C Wiggins stated that 2020 continued to be a challenging period, with the Community Resilience Team temporarily relocated at Ongar Police Station while the Civic Offices were being refurbished. The report highlighted the variety of tasks that had been undertaken by the Officers, which included: high visibility patrols in North Weald following a spate of burglaries; joint working with the Housing Department regarding a problem property in Waltham Abbey linked to drug use and supply; Operation Moonstone to combat a series of thefts of high value vehicles; and operations in support of closure orders for venues in Roydon and Chigwell linked to ‘Mansion Parties’.

C Wiggins stated that a Community Safety Engagement Officer had been embedded with the Community Resilience Team, to build public trust and confidence in the Police through engagement and collaboration with partners and the public. There were currently a number of issues relating to visitors to the Bell Hotel in Epping, which was being used by the Home Office to temporarily house asylum seekers. In addition, the Council’s Police Officers would be undertaking visits to the District’s High Streets during September in relation to the Covid-19 pandemic, and making plans to combat any potential issues during the Halloween period.

Cllr McIvor thanked the Community Resilience team for their work, particularly in relation to the increased patrols in North Weald and Operation Moonstone. Cllr Plummer welcomed the meeting that had been held regarding the arson events in Meridian Park, where the Police gave a full explanation for what was currently happening.

In response to questions from the Committee, C Wiggins stated that the Council’s Police Officers would not be used to enforce the ‘Rule of Six’ during the Covid-19 pandemic, although they intended to visit the School in Epping where Covid-19 related behaviour issues had arisen. Cllr S Murray reminded the Select Committee that pupils were expected to wear face masks when moving from one classroom to another, and when they were in communal areas. C Wiggins also highlighted that Automatic Number Plate Recognition (ANPR) was used to great effect throughout the District to identify vehicles involved in offences.

C Wiggins also explained that improved intelligence was being received from the Metropolitan Police concerning unplanned music events, and emphasised that it was important for different teams across the Council to communicate with each other to ensure that one such instance did not lead to multiple offences being committed. It was also expected that there would be an increase in instances of anti-social behaviour from the reporting of blatant breeches of the rules in place for the Covid-19 pandemic.

The Housing & Community Services Portfolio Holder, Cllr H Whitbread, felt that the value of the Council’s Police Officers had been illustrated at the current time during the Covid-19 pandemic, and the Council also enjoyed excellent relations with the Police, Fire & Crime Commissioner for Essex. The Portfolio Holder also added her thanks to the Community Resilience Team for the excellent work that they had undertaken.

The Chairman of the Select Committee, Cllr D Sunger, was reassured that funding for the Council’s Police Officers had been secured for a further two years beyond the original three-year term, and requested that the Select Committee agree to extend an invitation to the District Police Commander to attend the next meeting.

            Resolved:

(1)        That the report on the work and range of operations of the Council-funded Police Officers during the preceding six months be noted; and

(2)        That an invitation be extended to the District Police Commander to attend the next meeting of the Select Committee on 14 January 2021.