Published in Conservative Home 18.11.2024
There has been much debate about the impact of Essex Police’s investigation of Ms Allison Pearson, a leading journalist on the Daily Telegraph, on the exercise of free speech. Without free speech, our democracy is in peril. But the same goes for the rule of law. Core to my role as the Police, Fire and Crime Commissioner for Essex is ensuring that the police exercise their powers effectively and without fear or favour. That means being able to investigate allegations of crime even if the alleged perpetrator is a powerful journalist. To be clear: this controversy is not about a non-crime incident, the alleged offence has been assessed as passing the threshold for criminal investigation.
While Essex Police are responsible for assessing whether an incident should be investigated as a crime, they do so against the law of our great country. This is fundamental to the democratic system in which we live and which so many have laid down their lives to protect. Law is passed by parliament, voted on by the MPs that we as citizens in our democratic country vote in to represent us. It is their role to debate and decide on the laws that govern our country. It is my role to ensure that Essex Police apply that law effectively and maintain order in our county. That means being able to investigate allegations of crime whoever they relate to.
In our country, we are fortunate to have policing by consent. This works and has been copied around the world because we all participate, through our democratic system, in setting the laws that govern our land and that the police must apply. We may not all like all of the laws in force but it is the Police’s job to apply them fairly and mine to ensure they do so efficiently and effectively. I welcome the debate on what should and should not be a crime. I have pushed hard for stronger legislation on domestic abuse, the possession of knives, on unauthorised encampments, assaults on shop workers and those who assault our emergency services. They are important to me and I am glad that parliament has passed laws that allow us to tackle this behaviour.
If the law is felt to be a constraint on free speech, then that is for parliament to debate and hopefully change. I have a view on what should and shouldn’t be a law. The law on Non-Crime Hate Incidents, in my view, infringes too far on the core principle of freedom of speech. And it ties up police time which would be better used preventing violence against women and girls, reducing drug crime and dealing with neighbourhood crimes such as burglary and car theft. But it is the law, and fundamental to my role is ensuring that the law of the land is enforced whatever that may be. My concern is that the law as it stands is exercised effectively and impartially in the county of Essex.
Law and order, the rule of law and policing without fear or favour is important. It underpins our democracy, it goes to the heart of our society and is key to maintaining the fair and law based society that we enjoy. I will not compromise this principle however difficult the situation is, law and order must come first.
We must police for everybody and, in Essex, we do. Independent research show that three quarters of the people of Essex have high levels of confidence in Essex Police. Our Police have developed strong relationships with communities across the county, whatever their race or religion. During the summer while riots happened in other areas of the country there was no unrest in Essex. Over the last few years our county has been challenged, from covid to the tragic murder of 39 people from Vietnam, and every time our communities have come together, showed solidarity and worked closely with the police to keep our county safe.
I am proud to represent the people of Essex and in my manifesto I clearly set out my priorities:
- To deliver more local, visible accessible policing,
- Drive down anti-social behaviour and crime,
- Beat knife crime and drug gangs and protect young people,
- Tackle violence against women and girls and domestic abuse
- Ensure vulnerable people are protected,
- Improve road safety and reduce road deaths in Essex to zero.
We are focused on delivering these priorities for our community. ASB has been falling for eight years and is down by nearly three quarters. Crime is down by over ten percent from its peak, we are reducing the incidence of domestic abuse, and we have protected more young people with fewer being drawn into drug gangs. Drug-related knife crime is down over 20 per cent. I am proud of the work we have done in Essex, the fact we have the biggest strongest police force we have ever had, and that we are tough on crime, on gangs and work hard to protect the vulnerable.
