The Newspaper of the Essex Police mrnmmmm~ma ram ......mm.. March 19829~~~TT~~i~~ami No 140 .-m Down to six Divisions ESSEX POLICE are in the the most extensive since the the addition of Rochford boundary changes business Essex-southend amalga- and Hockley over the pre But not until January 1983 aeain. And the latest mation in 1969. 1969 boundary. W alterations, intended to Yet by an ironic twist Following consultations come into force next New Southend gets its borough with the Standing Advisory Regarding civilian staff keep all members of police Years Day, are probably area back but this time with Committee and the Joint Committee, the' Chief there is no intention of and civilian staff fully Constable has given creating redundancies nor informed of the progress approval for the number of will any member be being made and the co- territorial divisions to be required to change either operation of everyone is reduced from eight to six. job specification or place of sought to minimise In conjunction with this a employment without full disruption and to ensure comprehensive review of consultation. Any changes that this major effort to beat boundaries, police and will, where possible, be provide a better, utilisation civilian establishments and brought about by natural of resources is efficiently the command structure in wastage or mutual consent. and effectively divisions and at Head- Every &brt will be made to implemented. quarters is now well under way. The main changes will be: Existing Grays Division and I April investiture Brentwood Sub-Division will form a new Division with its Headquarters at Grays. Existing Clacton Division and Colchester Sub-division will form a new Division with its Headquarters at Colchester. Chelmsford Division will take in Halstead and Braintree Sub- divisions which will amalgamate to form a new Sub-division based at Braintree. Southend Division will take in the high Sub-division and part of Rayleigh Sub-division covering the Hockley and Hawkwell area. The remainder of Rayleigh Division will be amalgamated with the Basildon and Billericay Sub-divisions to form a new Division based on Basildon. Harlow Division will remain unchanged. Police Medal awarded in the New Years ~Gours. Mr Challis joined the Force in August 1946, and 'I had to choose 21'-D.C.C. was promoted to his present rank in 1969. THERE WAS widespread Several sergeants who built up because of and I took the top 21 despondency among had been successful on optimism at the number of grades. I could have sergeants when the previous boards but were officerslikelytoretire.The selected double that r l decisions of the promotion required to reapply under Edmund Davis pay award number if there had been 1 advisory board we re the new policy, had their had the effect, however, of the vacancies." In fact one 1 Hard sporting month I announced last month. passports to promotion postponing retirements. To third of those who were I taken away. These have honoured all successful were uniform Sergeants felt unable to APRIL could well be the most crowded month understand either individual applicants in particular are outstanding tickets would patrol sergeants, and wondering why, if they have meant no PAB for another third were CID. Essex has ever had for Police Athletic Association- results or the general trend championships, either national or regional. lying behind them. There were good enough last time four years. were 2 1 "golden tickets", a they are not good enough Some sergeants feel that The last national police championship to be held generous number perhaps, now. the "system" is in the county was the sailing in 1979 and the last in view of the recent inconsistent. While the ALL EQUAL national cross country was 20 years before that. promotion stagnation. majority are urged to get But all in a week, followers of national police Chairman of the Board Mr STILL SUITABLE out of their niches and The final complaint sport will have the chance to see Lionel Thomas and Ronald Stone, Deputy broaden their knowledge, comes afterwards, when the his fellow heavies weightlifting - Headquarters Chief, told The Law, "The The D.C.C. says, some who have quite disappointed applicants go Training School on Saturday, 3rd April - and the policy was quite clear as however, "They were narrow experience are to see the Divisional more nimble adherents cf running and walking laid down by the working suitable then and they are favoured by the board. Commander to find out codes circling Danbury Park on Wednesday, 7th party last year. Applicants suitable now. But I had to where they went wrong. April. have to appear every year select a smaller number. Apparently there is a and the estimated number There were more than 2 1 at Then at the end of the month, on Wednesday, INDIVIDUAL tendency to say, "Don't 21st, at Cononation Park, it's the turn of the nimble- required for promotion plus the outset who already had worry too much, you did twenty per cent will be tickets." heavies when the Regional mgby sevens, with an But Mr Stone replies, quite well, really, you'll be entry of 18 teams, take place. recommended." In fact there were 49 "It's an individual thing. alright next year." With 21 "In line with this I sergeants with tickets and Somewhere along the line I tickets awarded it is Full previews of these events on pages six and recommended 2 1 ," Mr some had held them for had to choose 21. Each was surprising how many seven. Stone added. three years. The backlog graded after his interview finished equal 22nd. I 2 THE LAW MARCH 1982 'FiexPoFce is well equ@ped to take THE annual report by the Chief Constable to the Police Committee of the Essex on new chaIenges" County Council is the inevitable mass of facts and figures. The stastics are not THE future may judge reproduced here but merely items of policing in 1981 solely in terms of riots and the interest. Members of the Force will find subsequent Inquiry by copies of the Report at Police Stations. Lord Scarman into them, but Essex remained free of In many cases the best informal but constructive the street violence which method of preventing crime discussion. occurred in many places is to have a police officer Once again it is pleasant DROP during the summer. At that walking the beat and that is to be able to record my DURING the year there time extra patrols were one facet of the work of the gratitude to all members of were 6,288 substantiated mounted in all urban areas N e i g h b o u r h o o d B eat the Force and the Police offences of theft of motor of the County and the Off~cee who are now Committee for their vehicles, a decrease of 356 or 5.4% over 1980. There traced at the end of the year; this figure includes 1,152 private cars, 117 goods vehicles and 590 in for a week or two even if it doesn't really fit any the motor cycle class. Offences of unauthorised takings totalled 3,707, a criterion is not inflation indexed and increases in of our own equipment. non-injury accidents or less. coming to notice increased 0.9% over that recorded in 1980. The total number of BURGLARY offences of criminal were fewer prosecutions for all recorded crimes. Within category, offences of arson the overall 6.9% increase increased by 2 1.1% to 614. TRAFFIC PATROLS relations between the police available places went to shift or section sergeants in uniform. What a warm glow comes over the old magic machine when it can allay fears like this. Continued on page 3 the Force increased. Essex officers. understand a word of this. over the whole County. THE LAW. MARCH 1982 3 motorways in Europe and I CHIEF'S REPORT will also-increase usage of Continued from page 2 the M1 1 motorway. accidents by ensuring Additional police strength I Basildon beat Bobbies open I compliance with legislation to deal with the new motorway commitment has designed to achieve safety PUTTING Bobbies back "By having police officers and, secondly, to deal with been approved by the Police Committee. Itheir new shop on the beat is being taken available at these offices at accidents. Police officers one step further at Basildon set times, it is hoped that engaged on traffic patrol with the opening of two firm links between the duty must be able to deal RECRUITMENT "contact points", some police and the community with increasingly complex forces call them surgeries. can be developed." legislation. AS THE Force comes up to establishment the Yet, ironically, the effect This is an extension of Enforcement and number of recruits actually will be to take some the 18 months old increased activity does not signed on has dropped fiom constables off patrol work neighbourhood beat officer necessarily involve more 291 in 1979, to 210 in 1980 to man the points. scheme at Basildon, which, prosecutions, as many and 98 in 1981 of whom 17 "We are trying to get the says Basildon Council, pre- traffic offences are were women. This figure balance right," says Chief empted by about a year the adequately dealt with by ,was almost exactly Superintendent Bill Gray, Scarman Report. advice or warning, either by balanced by an outflow of head of Basildon Division. Chief Superintendent the patrolling officer at the 97. The two offices are at 78 Gray says: "I am pleased time or later by written or Spurriers, Laindon and 108 that we are able to offer this verbal caution.