'Report it and we can sort it': How we're tackling violent crime

“Report it and we can sort it.” That’s the message from Essex Police Chief Constable Ben-Julian Harrington as he outlined how the force is tackling violent crime across the county. 

Mr Harrington was speaking as we recorded 6,000 fewer incidents of violence across Essex in the last 12 months to the end of March compared to the previous 12-month period which is a fall of almost 10%. 

The number of the most serious violent offences have also dropped, with 1,000 fewer incidents, which is a fall of more than 7%. 

The Chief said: “What we’re talking about it here are the offences which hurt the most people the most. That’s drug-driven violence which results in serious assaults or stab wounds. These are the things which hurt the people of Essex the most – and we’re tackling it. 

“We’re seeing a reduction in violence. In the last year, there have been more than 6,000 fewer incidents, that’s a fall of almost 10%. And the most serious of those, when someone is seriously injured, we’ve seen more than 1,000 fewer incidents; a drop of more than 7%. 

“We are puritanical about crime recording – and we’re rated outstanding in that area [by His Majesty’s Inspectorate of Constabulary and Fire and Rescue Services] so the figures are accurate. 

“But equally, I know that if you’ve been affected by violence, it won’t feel like things are moving in the right direction. I know there is still too much but equally I can tell you that Essex is a safe place.”

Mr Harrington also outlined the force’s work on knife crime, which is down by 500 offences in the last 12 months; a reduction of about 10%.

He added: “So much of tackling knife crime is about understanding why people carry weapons and what we know is they do it – they say – to keep themselves safe. We also know that carrying a knife makes it more likely that the carrier will become a victim in some way.

“If you know someone you care about, or someone you know is carrying a knife or if you know they’re involved in violent crime, you need to tell us; report it and we can sort it.”

There are a number of ways we can help young people at risk of falling into crime, by using diversionary methods or imposing orders on the people exploiting the young person to cease any contact between them.

We focus a great deal of our work on young people because more than half of all knife crime suspects are aged between ten and 19-years-old and the single highest proportion of knife crime victims are in the same age group. 

In the last year, we carried out just under 16,000 stop and searches across Essex with nearly 30% of those resulting in a weapon being found, drugs being found or an arrest being made. That is nearly double the number of stops being carried out five years ago. 

Since January, officers from our serious violence unit have arrested 111 people, 86 of whom have been charged. 

As part of those investigations, 55 weapons were seized and destroyed.