Southend: Family fun at Police and Partners Open Day

The Southend Police and Partners Open Day once again proved popular as families flocked to the police station to get a look behind the scenes and meet their local officers.

Now in its second year, the event featured tours of Southend’s custody suite, public order demonstrations and lots of interactive fun with our crime scene investigators, Marine Unit, Rural Engagement Team and more.

Alongside our officers were teams from the East of England Ambulance Service, HM Coastguard, Essex County Fire and Rescue, the RNLI, the Safer Essex Roads Partnership, St John Ambulance, the drug and alcohol charity Open Road and the council’s community safety team.

Southend East and Rochford MP Bayo Alaba and Mayor of Southend Cllr Ron Woodley were among the crowds enjoying the fun.

It was the last community event for the outgoing District Commander, Chief Inspector Jo Collins, before she retires after more than three decades in policing.

She said the open day was a fitting way for her to go out as it showcased the community spirit in the city:

“It’s been a fantastic day and it was great to see so many young people and families enjoying themselves.

“I’d like to thank all our partners as they contributed so much to its success. To have so many of the organisations we work alongside come together in one place shows the strength of those relationships.

“An open day was initially suggested by our Independent Advisory group to promote engagement and openness, so they also deserve a lot of credit.

“We want to be visible in the community and we want people to feel they can talk to our officers if they have a problem. Events like this are key to showing that the police are people too. Our officers have really enjoyed chatting with everyone and explaining more about their jobs.

“Southend is a fantastic city and there is an incredible amount of positive work going on here.

“Recently, we’ve seen the city portrayed negatively in the media but those of us who live and work here know this does not reflect the reality.

“Yes, there are challenges, but they are outweighed by the progress that is being made in making it a safer and more attractive destination.

“It’s been an honour and a privilege to be the District Commander and I am certain in the future I will continue to see Southend thrive.”

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