Tendring: Crime and anti-social behaviour continues to decrease

Crime and anti-social behaviour has fallen significantly across the Tendring district, thanks to a series of policing initiatives.

Clacton, Jaywick, Frinton, Walton and other coastal areas see their populations double in the summer.

But, says District Commander Chief Inspector Ella Latham, a rise in anti-social behaviour and crime doesn’t automatically follow.

Anti-social behaviour decreased by 44.2% in the year to 31 October 2023, with 978 fewer incidents recorded than the previous year. And crime fell 12.7%, or 1,832 offences, in the same period.

“Residents see so many people arrive and worry that crime and anti-social behaviour will rise. And they may make certain assumptions, such as a group of people will be carrying knifes or drugs. But they may be incorrect.
“Tendring is a safe place to live, work and visit.”
Chief Inspector Ella Latham

This year, Clacton has benefited from extra patrols, thanks to part of £1.1million invested by Essex Police, Fire and Crime Commissioner Roger Hirst.

More than 3,250 hours of extra patrols will be completed in the nine months to April 2024.

It’s part of the Government’s Anti-Social Behaviour Strategy which incorporates high-visibility patrols, public engagement, targeted youth outreach and early intervention. The Percy King Estate was one of 11 hotspots identified across Essex.

Since Operation Dial was launched in July, it’s funded a total of more than 4,500 hours of patrols by Essex Police and community safety partnership (CSP) organisations, which have resulted in:

• 35 arrests
• 109 stop and searches
• 58 informal warnings issued
• 45 fixed penalty notices issued.

Chief Inspector Latham says there’s been a positive response to the patrols with residents and retailers telling officers of their local concerns.

A strong relationship with fellow members of Tendring Community Safety Partnership has also been key to these decreases in anti-social behaviour and crime, particularly during the busy summer months.

Chief Inspector Latham says:

“Officers regularly patrol with the district council’s anti-social behaviour ambassadors.
“Together, we aim to get to the root causes of persistent offending, which often means getting people help and support from partner agencies to divert them from such behaviour.”

During the summer peak of July and August this year, there was a marked drop in incidents reported in Tendring, particularly domestic abuse, with 200 fewer than in July and August 2022.

Violence and other high harm offences were reduced by 119 while, in the same period, stop and searches increased by 11 percent, with just under a third having a positive outcome.

Chief Inspector Latham says officers use stop and search powers sparingly but won’t hesitate when they have reasonable grounds to suspect someone is carrying weapons, drugs or stolen property.

“When they do use stop and search, it’s to keep people safe and to deter people from carrying knives or dealing drugs in public.  A knife can often be used against the person carrying it.”

She urges people to continue to report crime and anti-social behaviour to the police. Anti-social behaviour can also be reported to Tendring District Council via its online Report It page.

“Information from the public is vital to inform our operational activity. We need to know what you know.” 
Chief Inspector Ella Latham

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