Latest news from PFCC Roger Hirst - 1st December 2023
Essex independent custody visiting scheme recognised for quality assurance
The Essex Police, Fire and Crime Commissioner has been recognised nationally for the quality of its independent custody visiting scheme.
Under the scheme, trained volunteers from the local community (Independent Custody Visitors or ICVs), managed by Kasia Grabka from the Essex Police, Fire and Crime Commissioner’s office, make regular unannounced visits to police custody suites to check on the rights, entitlements, wellbeing and dignity of the detainees held there.
Their findings are then reported to the Police and Crime Commissioners and Police Authorities who hold Chief Constables to account.
Essex Police has teamed up with pubs and bars, across the county, to launch a new arm of our perpetrator focussed #Reflect campaign around the issue of consent.
This new phase of the campaign, funded by Southend and Thurrock Domestic Abuse Partnership (SETDAB), asks people to consider their own actions and behaviour, and will be reflected on beer mats, in the restrooms of bars and pubs and on digital screens throughout shopping areas, from 28 November 2023.
We know that consent underpins all forms of sexual violence and sexual abuse, and the majority of sexual offences happen in the home.
Roger Hirst, Police, Fire and Crime Commissioner for Essex, said: “We are pleased to build on the good work of the #Reflect campaign which raises awareness of the way sexual abuse can manifest in relationships and the importance of consent.
“We hope by encouraging people to seek support they need, we can make a real, lasting change which will reduce violence against women and girls, one of our policing priorities to get crime down.”
Police, Fire and Crime Commissioner Roger Hirst has been out and about in the county.
Last Friday 24th November Roger joined the Chief Constable BJ Harrington, welcoming 41 new officers to the Essex police family at a pass out ceremony at Essex Police HQ in Chelmsford. The new officers mean Essex Police continues to retain strength of numbers and is the largest it has been in its 184-year history. PHOTO attached if you want to use it.
On Monday 27th November Roger hosted a public meeting in Southend. Among the topics discussed at the meeting were summertime community safety policing operations and speeding motorists on city streets. Mr Hirst was joined b by Chief Insp Jo Collins, Southend district commander, Group Manager Justin Benson-Ryal of ECFRS and Simon Ford, Head of Community Safety at Southend Council.
The next PFCC public meeting will be held in Colchester on Tuesday 5th December. This meeting will take place from 7pm to 8pm at The Old Library, Colchester Town Hall, High Street, Colchester, CO1 1HE. All residents and business operators in the Colchester City Council area are welcome to attend to find out more about crime and community safety in the district and put their questions and concerns to a panel.
Mr Hirst will be joined on the panel at the Colchester meeting by Samantha Goodman of Colchester Community Safety Partnership, Chief Insp Colin Cox, Colchester District Commander and Group Manager Craig McClellan of Essex County Fire and Rescue Service.
On Tuesday 28th November, Roger chaired an anti-social unauthorised encampment round table with Essex Police, Essex Countywide Traveller Unit and partners from around the county. Feedback of the summer season was positive. There were 75% fewer in the 12 months to 31 August 2023 than there were during the same period in 2017/18 (69 in 2023 compared to 226 in 2018).
We are recruiting Independent Panel members for Police Miscoduct Hearings
The Police and Crime Commissioners for the Eastern Region are seeking to recruit up to 20 Independent Panel Members (IPMs) to hear police misconduct hearings from across the region. The successful candidates will sit alongside Legally Qualified Chairs and senior police officers as part of a panel of three. They will hear cases involving officers from Bedfordshire, Cambridgeshire, Essex, Hertfordshire, Norfolk and Suffolk Constabularies.
Misconduct Hearing Panels involve serious misconduct cases and are an important aspect of the disciplinary rules that govern the police, helping to ensure public trust and confidence is maintained.
Applications are sought from individuals who can demonstrate integrity and independence of mind, commitment to equality, diversity and inclusion, sound judgement and an objective approach to the issues presented.
Closing date for applications is January 28th 2024
Time is running out to fill out the PFCC Precept Survey
The Police, Fire and Crime Commissioner (PFCC) for Essex is asking county residents for their policing and community safety priorities to identify public appetite for investing more in Essex Police and Essex Fire and Rescue Service.
