Joining forces against stalking: National Stalking Week
Southend, Essex and Thurrock Domestic Abuse Board (SETDAB) are working in partnership to support the Suzy Lamplugh Trust’s National Stalking Week. Held from 22 to 26 April. This campaign serves as a crucial platform to raise awareness about stalking and its profound impact on victims, families and communities.
Stalking is when someone repeatedly behaves in a way that makes you feel scared distressed or threatened. It can take various forms, from unwanted gifts and messages to surveillance and physical following. Cyberstalking has increased, the Online Safety Act 2023 makes the use of social media and messaging platforms to send threats a specific crime.
Fire Service celebrates outstanding achievements of its people
Essex County Fire and Rescue Service has honoured the remarkable dedication and achievements of its staff during an awards event.
With over 140 nominations received across the Service, the People Awards celebrated excellence, teamwork, and commitment to public safety.
The event took place at the JobServe Community Stadium in Colchester on Monday 15 April.
This ceremony gave colleagues the chance to recognise the outstanding contributions of individuals and teams from all areas of Essex County Fire and Rescue Service. From the bravery and resilience of firefighters to the invaluable support provided by colleagues in various roles, each nominee has played an essential part in making Essex a safer place to live, work, and travel.
Our Rural Engagement Team has been busy during the past year, working to keep farms, estates and rural communities across Essex safe.
They work with many partners to target crimes which specifically affect rural communities and businesses, including hare coursing and poaching, and the theft of agricultural vehicles and machinery.
A large part of the team’s work, as their name suggests, is engaging with farmers and agricultural workers, rural businesses and, of course, residents.
Inspector Terry Jacobs says the Rural Engagement Team (RET) was set up in 2017 specifically to connect with our rural communities and, as Essex is 72% rural, that’s a lot of ground to cover.
Our rural engagement officers undertook 3,337 hours of foot and vehicle patrols and set up 121 community events between 1 April 2023 and 31 March 2024.
