Colchester/Chelmsford: Patrols to protect vulnerable women to continue

A pilot operation involving a team of officers dedicated to protecting vulnerable women and spotting signs of predatory behaviour on nights out in Colchester and Chelmsford is to continue into the spring.

Operation Fortina ran throughout the festive season with a focus on protecting women and girls, helping people who became isolated from their friends, and offering advice about personal safety.

It will now operate on nights when a high footfall is expected in the hotspot policing zones in Colchester and Chelmsford until at least the middle of March. In addition, there will also be Fortina patrols in Basildon, Grays and Harlow during half-term with a focus on exploitation.

The operation – which is in addition to the regular police presence – features a combination of uniformed high-visibility patrols and plain clothes officers who are trained to recognise warnings signs that individuals may be about to commit an offence.

It was initiated by the same Op Grip hotspot policing team who introduced the Safe Space deployments in Southend that now run every Friday and Saturday night.

So far, officers on Fortina patrols have safeguarded 37 people, conducted 17 stop searches and made ten arrests, the majority being for violence and drugs offences.

Officers have been working with local councils’ community safety teams, street pastors and charity partners to make sure people who need help on a night out can get it, as well as engaging with staff at venues and handing out anti-spiking bottle toppers and keyring torches.

Sergeant Trevor Arnold said that the presence of the officers in town centres was helping to reassure the public and deter offending:

“Our officers are there to look out for people who need help and step in when we sense there’s a situation that could develop into a serious incident.

“We want people to enjoy themselves on nights out and our town centres are safe. However, if people can become isolated from their friends and can’t get home, they potentially become vulnerable, especially if they’ve also been drinking.

“By making early interventions, and getting people the help they need it, we’re trying to significantly reduce the chances of offending occurring while keeping the public safe.

“Members of our teams are trained to spot predatory behaviour, and we talk to door staff and taxi drivers to make sure they know who to contact if they see something that concerns them.

“The feedback from the public and our night-time economy partners has been very positive, and the number of people we’ve safeguarded shows the operation’s value.”

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