Meet the officers responding to your emergency calls

Officers from our local policing teams are often the first police officers you will see if you are in crisis, if you are the victim of or a witness to a crime or if you are suspected of committing a crime.

They are also the officers who may, sadly, deliver bad news to you on what may turn out to be the worst day of your life.

So, our response officers are very much the public face of Essex Police and, because of the variety of incidents requiring their response, they have a wide range of general policing knowledge and expertise.

As Inspector Paul Christian, of Loughton Local Policing Team, explains, local policing is about being part of the community, not just responding to incidents but actively working to prevent harm and build trust.

“In Essex, our local policing teams are committed to keeping the most vulnerable people in society safe, whether that’s through safeguarding work, early intervention or simply being a reassuring presence on the streets.
“We take pride in knowing our communities, understanding their concerns and acting swiftly when crime occurs.
“Our officers are relentless in pursuing those who cause harm, by making arrests and holding offenders to account, while always striving to support victims and protect those at risk.
“It’s this balance of compassion and enforcement that makes local policing so vital to the safety and wellbeing of our neighbourhoods." 

Across Essex, an average of 1,068 incidents are recorded every day, of which around 212 will be emergencies.

From burglaries to domestic disputes, from concerns for safety to searching for high-risk missing people, from anti-social behaviour and criminal damage to assaults and dealing with the results of poor & dangerous driving, our local policing officers are usually the first police officers to attend an incident and they will often investigate it, too.

Many officers on local policing teams love this variety and say that is what attracts them to the job.

Like response officers everywhere, PC Lewis Hurley says he enjoys the job because it’s never boring and can be immensely satisfying.

“I enjoy being out and about with the public, helping people and getting involved in some very interesting situations.
“Responding to people in their time of need is very rewarding. We’re there to help them as much as possible.
“Stolen vehicles, burglaries, domestic incidents, a child in need or someone with poor mental health, it doesn’t matter what it is, we get there, see what we’ve got, assess it, try to help people and point them in the right direction, if necessary.
“If we suspect someone’s committed a crime, they will be arrested.”

Lewis, an Essex Police officer for four years, was previously a personal trainer. He doesn’t like an office environment and likes working with people. He wanted a change and decided to apply to become a police officer after seeing an advertisement on Facebook.

“Now I love it!”

PC Syd Lawrence also enjoys the variety of response policing:

“No two days are the same.”

Like his colleagues across the force, Syd enjoys helping people in their hour of need, providing reassurance and supporting victims.

A former floor-layer, he joined Essex Police because he wanted job that was both practical and interesting. He is attracted to the investigative side of things – speaking to witnesses and gathering evidence to establish what happened and whether an arrest needs to be made.

Both officers say helping victims of domestic abuse is particularly rewarding. As well as working to ensure their abusers face justice, Lewis and Syd also work with victims to guide them towards charities and organisations who can help them get their lives back together.

Syd says:

“Whatever the type of incident we attend the victim always comes first.”

At Essex Police, we value difference. We know we’re strongest when we work together. And we want a workforce that represents our communities. 

If you share our values and want to help people, keep people safe and catch criminals, then join us as a police officer, member of staff, special constable or volunteer.

Join our team