The Law www.essex.police.uk March 2008 Offenders are spotted and targeted by officers on town estate NATIONAL INTEREST IN ASB OPERATION A UNIQUE and brilliant- by Bill Stock ly simple neighbourhood the first time they were to be sent into policing operation which a housing estate. halted crime on a With the FIT booked for the four-day operation, local officers then carried out Basildon housing estate a widespread public survey to find out is to be adopted else- who was causing problems on the estate. where in Essex and With information from the public and around the UK. from police intelligence, the names of 15 Officers involved in Operation known troublemakers were obtained. Leopard knocked on the doors of Two were Prolific and Priority Offenders. Some others, of school age, known offenders, warned them had been excluded from education or that their behaviour wouldn’t be were attending only part-time. tolerated and then photographed As the operation got under way, them and their associates as targeted suspects and their friends laughed and joked about being they wandered around an estate photographed and being asked to give for the next four days. their personal details. The result was dramatic. But they quickly realised it was no Burglaries, criminal damage and laughing matter as the officers followed car crime stopped completely them, filmed them as they sat in quiet during the course of the operation alleyways and continued to ask at the end of January. And there questions. Sixty stop-checks were carried out have been few incidents since. during the course of the operation and A further 15 Operation Leopards are there were five stop and searches. Four to be carried out in the Basildon district associates of the 14 suspects were over the next year with joint funding arrested. from HQ and a housing association. Two hundred residents who were The pioneering operation attracted questioned before the operation and considerable national media attention helped to provide names of trouble- when a three-page article in a Basildon makers were questioned again after the daily newspaper was followed up with operation and said that Operation positive articles in the Daily Mail, the Leopard had increased their confidence Mirror and The Sun. in the police and also reduced their fear Anglia TV and a local radio station of crime. carried interviews with one of the Chief Insp Wheeler said: “Anti-social officers involved and the BBC behaviour and crime in general signifi- Panorama programme has applied to cantly affects residents’ quality of life. film a forthcoming operation. We take that very seriously, which is The publicity drew inquiries from why we decided to take this radical other forces around Britain which want approach, targeting people responsible to adopt similar techniques in areas for problems in Vange. with anti-social behaviour problems. “Operation Leopard was not about Operation Leopard was devised targeting kids hanging around on street during a meeting between Basildon corners. It was about targeting people district commander Chief Insp Mark believed to be responsible for criminal Wheeler, the Pitsea area commander damage, vehicle crime and burglary. Insp Steve Ditchburn and Sgt Gav “We are committed to solving these Brook, the neighbourhood policing team problems and the use of specialist sergeant for Vange. officers for this operation should con- The trio were considering ideas on firm to people how serious we are about how to tackle crime on one particular doing that.” housing estate when they hit upon the Assistant Chief Constable Carmel idea of using Forward Intelligence Team Napier added: “This is an excellent (FIT) officers. example of responsive local policing The FIT is normally deployed at that is listening to its communities, major public events, such as football taking positive action where necessary matches or at fox hunts, to gather to address inappropriate behaviour and information and photographs of working with others to develop troublemakers. alternative avenues where young Some FIT officers had been used to people and others can more appro - film car cruisers plaguing a car park in priately use their energy and express Officers from the Forward Intelligence Team prepare to talk to youths, above, Pitsea some months earlier. But it was themselves.” Photographing a young person, top Pictures by Bill Stock 2 The Law, March 2008 News The road to success TWO new automatic number plate recognition (ANPR) teams have been set up following the success of the first – launched in April 2005. Teams at Chigwell and Stanway join the original team at Laindon – giving Essex the largest intercept capability of any county force in the country. Technology enables the total of nine vehicles to process an average of 18 million number plates a month – around three per cent, or 540,000, of which will flag up a warning to officers. In the past year, ANPR intercept teams have been responsi- ble for 350 arrests, seizing 775 uninsured vehicles, recovering 30 stolen cars and issuing 1,467 fixed penalty notices. And they have attended the V-festival, Southend football matches, raves, cruising events and drugs operations. ANPR project manager Insp Paul Moor said: “The recent expansion of the intercept teams has significantly increased our ability to target criminals operating across Essex and the region as a whole. “The success of the first team clearly showed the value of intelligence-led targeting of our resources.” Each team consists of an inspector, a sergeant and six constables. They use high-powered Subaru Imprezas or The success of the force’s first ANPR intercept team has led it to set up two new teams – there are now three, based Mitsubishi Evos, backed up by Spectrum vans, all fitted with at Laindon, Chigwell and Stanway – the Air Support Unit also plays its part when called upon the latest ANPR technology. Winners are Special day flying high Pounding the beat brings the fun THREE youngsters were the lucky winners of a guided tour of the closer to home force’s air support and marine DISABLED children from across the units. county are being offered an opportu- They were the winners of nity to visit a working farm and par- competitions organised by PCSOs – not your pocket! ticipate in a host of interactive events Anne-Marie Hayden-Case and this summer. In line with the current Specials recruitment drive, Danielle Rushton-Hickman at last AN extra 35 police officers, 33 members The annual Essex Police 4x4 Fun year’s Harlow Town Show. of police staff and 14 PCSOs are set to the force also plans to recruit at least 100 additional Day at Marsh Farm, South Woodham PCSO Hayden-Case said: “The special constables during the coming financial year. Ferrers, takes place on Thursday, youngsters enjoyed sitting in the be recruited after Essex Police Last month, members approved spending of Authority approved the 2008/09 budget. August 28, with activities such as off- helicopter and playing with the £251million for the 2008/09 financial year – after a road driving, an adventure play- gadgets and they really enjoyed the Currently, the force has 3,450 officers, 464 government settlement of £173million, the difference ground and strolls through the ani- engine room of the police boat. PCSOs, 2,164 members of police staff and 542 will be met by a Council Tax increase of 4.95 per cent. mal paddocks on offer. They also got police goodie bags.” Specials. Director of Finance Rick Tazzini explained that the A barbecue will keep the parents, new budget aimed to continue the growth started in carers, volunteers and guests going this current financial year. throughout the day. One of the areas targeted by the increase in police The event is into its 12th year – it Blues officers and staff will be protective services – helping to was first held in Hastings before mov- keep the county safe from the threat of more serious ing to Kent. However, after the 2001 And crime. foot and mouth outbreak, organisers The budget includes cash from Stansted Airport Ltd wanted to bring the event closer to Twos (STAL) to pay for 19 extra officers to police the airport. home and make it even more accessi- This year, the force’s budget allowed us to increase L I M I T E D ble for schools and organisations the number of front-line posts by 120 – 96 police throughout Essex. officers, 22 PCSOs and two members of police staff. PROTECTING THE PROTECTORS PLIES Co-organiser Michele France, an STRY SUP In fact, the number of officers and staff policing the Essex Police College IT trainer, RITY INDU communities of Essex has risen from 4,785 in 2001/02 reflected on the event’s aim and why ND SECU to 6,013 this year – helping to make the county a safer she has been committed to it for the ENCY A past eight years. EMERG place in which to live and work. POLICE To help pay for this investment, the force is currently She said: “We usually have many looking to make £6million of recurrent savings by sleepless nights in the run-up but it’s BAGS March 31, 2009, and, so far, has saved £4.4million all worth it just to see the looks on under the Operation Austin banner. the children’s faces and the delighted As well as increased numbers of police officers and cheers from the parents. TORCHES AND ACCESSORIES staff, the new budget will also fund replacement “We forget their disabilities for one Airwave radios, uniform and protective equipment. day and just ensure the boys and girls Mr Tazzini said: “Our Council Tax and spending are have a great time, enjoying new situ- BATON HOLDERS both the second lowest of the 31 shire police forces and ations and trying out their skills at we currently top our group of most similar forces when different tasks.