News 29 January to 4 February
 Clampdown on e-scooters and illegal e-bikes
It is illegal to use an e-scooter or an illegally adapted e-bike in a public place. These are widely available but very few seem to be aware of the legal requirements and limitations to their use. We are constantly receiving complaints about their use and we are alert to the dangers they pose. Therefore we will no longer be educating users about their use and will instead be enforcing the law and seizing them. The same applies to illegal e-bikes.
Please use the link to understand where e-scooters can be used before you consider purchasing one or if you already have one, how you can comply with your legal responsibilities.
The Public Spaces Protection Order (PSPO) in Southend includes the banning of E-scooters and cycling in pedestrian areas (such as the High Street). E-scooters cannot be used anywhere in public in the Southend area anyway. Just this week Basildon Council voted to cease their e-scooter trial due to issues around the use of them. Please be warned that, if you do ride an e-scooter, you WILL have it seized and you WILL NOT get it back.
Difficult times lay ahead for Essex Police as the Police, Fire and Crime Panel prepare to meet to decide upon the amount the county’s taxpayers contribute to policing in Essex.
Chief Constable BJ Harrington said Essex Police had done all it could to fight for a fair funding deal, to make efficiency savings to plug a funding gap and to try to find alternative solutions to sustain our current level of operational policing in the county.
The panel will meet to decide the amount the people of Essex pay for their police next month.
However, even if the precept is set at the maximum amount of £14, the force will still face a residual £5m gap in its budget.
This mean that a number of difficult options will be presented to the panel in order to plug the funding gap.
olice forces across the country are urging the owners of specific brands of blank-firing guns to hand them in at station front counters across a month-long national amnesty.
Essex Police is taking part in the amnesty, running from 3rd – 28th February, which applies only to Turkish manufactured top-venting blank firearms (TVBF).
Anyone found in possession of a certain brands of TVBF after the amnesty could be subject to prosecution and face up to 10 years’ imprisonment.
The amnesty relates to four specific brands of TVBF: Blow, Ceonic, Ekol and Retay.
TVBFs are legal to buy in the UK without a license, but crucially only if they are not readily convertible.
After testing these four specific models, partners in the National Crime Agency have found they are readily convertible into viable firearms.
During the amnesty period, those handing in a TVBF will not face prosecution and will not have to give their details.
"Our goal is to ensure victims of sexual offences and rape feel heard, supported and empowered when they report an offence to us."
That’s the message from Superintendent Natalia Ross at the start of the national Sexual Abuse and Violence Awareness Week, which runs from Monday (3 February) to Sunday (9 February).
The campaigning week focuses on addressing sexual abuse and violence and aims to challenge misconceptions surrounding these issues and provide a platform for survivors to tell their stories.
Supt Ross, part of our Public Protection leadership team, said:
"We understand the devastating impact these crimes have on survivors, and we are dedicated to ensuring their voices are heard and their needs are met.
"This happens by creating a safe environment where survivors can come forward with confidence, knowing that their cases will be handled with the utmost care and professionalism.
"Tackling sexual violence is a national issue for us in policing and for society too, but here in Essex our commitment to victims is that you are at the heart of our response, and you will get our comprehensive support.
"This includes working with partners who provide vital support services across the county for the victims and survivors of all forms of sexual abuse and violence.
"By ensuring our dedicated officers have access to enhanced training, we can ensure they carry out thorough and sensitive investigations, using the latest forensic and investigative methods to gather strong evidence as we build cases to take before the courts."
 Let's talk
Upcoming community police events
Saturday 8 February between 11am-12pm
Leigh Community Centre, Elm Road, Leigh
Saturday 8 February between 11am - 12pm
The cake o'clock tea room, Rayleigh Road, Eastwood
Sunday 9 February between 11am-12pm
Serendipity Cafe, Warrior Square Road, Shoebury
Tuesday 11 February between 11am-12pm
Havens, Hamlet Court Road, Westcliff
Wednesday 12 February between 4pm-5pm
High Street, Shoebury (by the train station)
 Keep a record of your mobile phone IMEI
Every phone has an IMEI (International Mobile Equipment Identity) number. If your phone is stolen, you can use this ID to block it.
To find your phone IMEI number key in *#06# and press dial and make note of it.
You can also download ‘find your phone’ apps to find your phone and, more importantly, wipe the data stored on it.
Be fraud smart
Planning to book a holiday or a short break?
If something looks too good to be true, it probably is.
Stay scam savvy with these tips:
- Read online reviews: Make sure to check reviews from reputable sources before making any bookings.
- Verify the accommodation: Confirm if an accommodation really exists by verifying the address through web searches and online maps.
- Check trade body membership: Ensure your travel company is a member of a trade body, such as ATOL.
 What should I do if I break down on the motorway?
The following information is intended only as a guide and common sense should be used at all times. The main issue to consider is the safety of you and your passengers.
If your vehicle develops a problem, leave the motorway at the next exit or pull into a service area. If you cannot do so, you should:
- Pull on to the hard shoulder and stop as far to the left as possible, with your wheels turned to the left.
- Try to stop near an emergency telephone (situated at approximately one-mile intervals along the hard shoulder).
- Leave the vehicle by the left-hand door and ensure your passengers do the same. You must leave any animals in the vehicle or, in an emergency, keep them under proper control on the verge. Never attempt to place a warning triangle on a motorway.
- Do not put yourself in danger by attempting even simple repairs.
- Ensure that passengers keep away from the carriageway and hard shoulder, and that children are kept under control.
- Walk to an emergency telephone on your side of the carriageway (follow the arrows on the posts at the back of the hard shoulder) – the telephone is free of charge and connects directly to an operator. Use these in preference to a mobile phone. Always face the traffic when you speak on the phone.
- Give full details to the operator; also inform them if you are a vulnerable motorist such as disabled, older or travelling alone.
- Return and wait near your vehicle (well away from the carriageway and hard shoulder).
- If you feel at risk from another person, return to your vehicle by a left-hand door and lock all doors. Leave your vehicle again as soon as you feel this danger has passed.
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