A lively meeting in Southend
Sentencing of offenders, violent crime, prostitution, the transportation of firearms and cycling on pavements were just some of the varied topics discussed at the Police and Crime Commissioner’s latest public meeting.
More than 60 members of the public attended the meeting on 8th January at the Chase High School in Prittlewell Chase, Westcliff, to meet with PCC for Essex Nick Alston to raise concerns about crime and policing in their area.
They were given updates on crime trends and police performance as well as detailed briefings from Southend District Commander Chief Insp Simon Anslow on violent and drug-related crime and prostitution.
Following recent concerns about a brothel operating in the area, Chief Insp Anslow told the audience about police activity around the issue as part of Operation Tressle.
Residents heard how under the crackdown – which has been ongoing in the district since 2009 and aims to deal with persistent prostitutes, kerb crawling, brothels and associated anti-social behaviour – the number of calls received by police has dramatically reduced.
In 2009 the district’s anti-social behaviour team received 179 calls over 3-months, compared with just four calls over a two-month period in 2014. However Chief Insp Anslow assured residents police continue to target the problem.
Mr Alston was also questioned about the role of Police and Crime Commissioner, which he explained aims to hold the police to account, ensure they deliver effective and efficient, policing, setting the budget for the force and the council tax precept for policing, and producing a Police and Crime Plan outlining his priorities for Essex, amongst many other responsibilities.
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The PCC also faced questions from the audience about how he and Essex Police will deal with continued budget cuts from central government and the effect on frontline policing.
Mr Alston said: “The meeting was exceptionally lively and the topics were very varied, which made for an interesting evening.
“It is always good to have the opportunity to talk to the public face to face about my role and responsibilities but also the challenges both I and Essex Police face in delivering an effective service in these austere times.
“I look forward to returning to Southend in the future and would like to thank all those people who attended the meeting.”
Mr Alston and Chief Insp Anslow were also joined by Chief Supt Luke Collison, roads policing officer Sgt Danny Parsons, Insp Bill Potter, Southend’s Community Safety Partnership Manager Simon Ford and Glyn Halksworth and Bev Ball from the Southend Drug and Alcohol Commissioning Team.
There is a long article about the cuts in government grant and the challenges of policing Essex on the PCC website here:
The challenges of policing our county
