More than 90 arrests and 3,600 officer hours in seven days

Officers across Essex have carried out more than 3,600 hours of duties in one week – arresting 91 people in the process.

More than 700 officers have been on patrol on our streets, monitoring the vehicles on our roads, and searching for the wanted suspects trying to evade justice.

These arrests include those from this weekend, such as a 41-year-old man from Colchester who was arrested in Lawford on suspicion of causing actual bodily harm and common assault.

Officers responded to the incident in Riverside Avenue in Lawford at about 10am on Saturday 17 August, and also arrested a 17-year-old boy on suspicion of common assault at the scene.

Both are now bailed by police while enquiries continue.

Also arrested was a 30-year-old from Haverhill in Suffolk, who was arrested on suspicion of assault and intentional strangulation. The incident reportedly happened in Saffron Walden, Essex, on 7 August. He has now been bailed while enquiries continue.

On the roads, a 25-year-old man from Edgeware arrested on the A12 on suspicion of drug driving. The man was stopped between Hatfield Peverel and Witham and was further arrested on suspicion of immigration offences. He was transferred to immigration services run by the Home Office ad was released under investigation.

A 35-year-old man from Chelmsford was also arrested in the city on suspicion of blackmail and harassment, and has been released on bail.

Chief Inspector Richard Baxter said:

“Each of these arrests is the result of dozens of officer hours, pulling together intelligence and the fullest picture of an incident.
“It means we can carry out the warrants for their arrests, put officers on patrol in the right areas, and find the crucial evidence we need to seek charges from the Crown Prosecution Service.
“Dangerous offenders, some breaching court orders and others with warrants for their arrest, are now in custody or prison thanks to this work.
“This work goes on year-round – and we are back to work today keeping Essex safe.”

‘Keeping you safe and catching criminals’

As well as making these arrests, officers have conducted 26 weapon sweeps and taken 27 weapons off the streets of Essex.

We also made more than 100 intelligence reports, and attended more than 50 community events and public meetings.

Ch Insp Baxter added:

“All our work contributes to helping people, keeping them safe and catching criminals.
“Those thousands of hours on patrol are more than a deterrent – our officers are gathering information and building a clearer picture of the issues that are affecting our residents.
“We recognise how quickly those issues can appear and how they can change. It’s only by doing this work every day and working with the public we can keep bringing crime down.”

In the same week, our officers also stopped 536 vehicles, carried out 461 speed checks, recorded 194 traffic offences and seized 29 vehicles being driven without insurance.

Essex’s Roads Policing Unit are out across the county every day making sure motorists are following the rules of the road.

Our officers will also stop vehicles they identify as connected to criminality, which is a key tactic in disrupting the behaviour of offenders.

Ch Insp Baxter added:

“Everyone has the right to use our roads safely, and that means obeying the law on our highways.
“This week of results shows just how far our officers go to catch those who shouldn’t be on our roads.”

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