You can now report crime online to Essex Police
“I am delighted that all of us now have the opportunity to report a crime directly to Essex Police through the force website. The ability to work online, from a computer, tablet or phone, is increasingly part of our everyday lives. For some people, this may quickly become their preferred means of providing information to Essex Police and seeking help in return. However, other routes must continue to be available, such as the 101 and 999 telephone service, and ten front counters in police buildings across Essex.”
“Essex Police will increasingly use tools such as Essex Community Messaging and social media, work with print and broadcast media, and communicate regularly with networks of active citizens such as Neighbourhood Watch, to ensure local people know what is going on in their communities and to enable them to help keep communities safe. This will help all of us to take reasonable steps to prevent crime from happening in the first place.
“During the next few days, we will be launching a trial of new Public Contact Points in four Essex towns – Brentwood, Grays, Harwich and Rayleigh – and the results will be closely monitored to see how they are used by the public.
“The closure of fifteen front counters and the creation of new public contact opportunities offer the best service possible both now and for the future. A key element of this transformation is making Essex Police more efficient, so more of the available resources are used for front-line policing.
“Essex Police has also created new Community Policing Teams, who will work at the heart of the areas they serve dealing with all aspects of local policing.
“Crucially the teams will continue the two-way flow of information with residents and will work ever more closely with partners, for example the local authority and Community Safety Partnership, to tackle issues such as night-time economy related violence and nuisance behaviour as we all strive towards the common goal of keeping Essex safe.
“Throughout my time as PCC I have encouraged members of the public to contact Essex Police and let them know of any suspicious or concerning behaviour and I hope everyone will continue to do this.”
Nick Alston, Police and Crime Commissioner for Essex
Essex Police online services can be accessed here:
www.essex.police.uk/doitonline
Essex Police will retain front counters, open to the public from 9am to 5pm, in: Grays, Basildon, Harlow, Chelmsford, Braintree, Colchester, Clacton and Westcliff (whilst Southend is being refurbished) on Monday to Sunday), with Saffron Walden being open Monday to Saturday and Maldon Monday to Friday.
Research during two months in 2015 showed around 80 per cent of all visits to Essex Police stations were made to these ten front counters which will remain open.
Operational policing bases, without front counters, will be kept in: Loughton, Brentwood, Canvey Island, Great Dunmow, Rayleigh and Harwich.
The front counters which have now closed were located at: Billericay, Brentwood, Canvey Island, Epping, Great Dunmow, Halstead, Harwich, Loughton, Pitsea, Rayleigh, Southminster, South Ockendon, South Woodham Ferrers, Tilbury and Witham.
