More hands on deck for Marine Unit

The Marine Unit has welcomed two more officers to their team. 

 

The team, who are now made up of five police officers, two Special Constables and a specialist Marine Technician, police 562 miles of coastlines and waterways from the Thames at Crayford Ness to the River Stour in Manningtree. 

"We are delighted to have PC John Perry and PC Daren Chambers onboard" said Acting Police Sergeant Paul Rawson, who has served on the Marine Unit for 13 years.

"Both John and Daren bring with them a wealth of police experience and marine knowledge, which has further strengthened our team, enabling us to do even more to protect and support the communities we work with."

It takes a dedicated and self-motivated individual to become a marine officer, deploying both day and night, in all weathers to ensure the county is safe and those who want to exploit our waterways and coastlines to commit crime, are caught and brought to justice.

PC Perry and PC Chambers joined the team ahead of one of the busiest periods for the unit, as more people take to the water as a result of the warmer weather.

"We're very fortunate in Essex, as we have lots of beautiful coastal areas and waterways for people to enjoy" said Acting Sergeant Rawson.

"But we know that this can bring some problems for the marine community from those who breach the byelaws and act in an anti-social manner.

"We are continually working alongside our partners, who include local harbour masters, the RNLI, the Maritime and Coastguard Agency and the Port of London Authority, to address these issues, educate those who are less familiar with water use legislation and take action against those who continue to flout the rules.

"Our advice to anyone who uses the water is to make sure they are aware of byelaws and the speed limits in place . These are in place to not only keep you and other water users safe, but also protect the environment.

"Be prepared. Make sure you're wearing appropriate clothing, have the correct equipment onboard your vessel and check that everything is working properly. Check the weather forecast and know and understand local tide times and dangers.

"And finally, please be considerate of others who are using the water. We urge you to report anti-social, unusual or suspicious behaviour to us, so that we can investigate and take action.

"You can do this by visiting our website: https://www.essex.police.uk/tua/tell-us-about/soh/something-youve-seen-or-heard/ but in an emergency always dial 999."

You can keep up-to-date with our Marine Unit by following them on Twitter @EPMarine.