Preventing disorder in Southend: tell us your views

Last Tuesday saw a significant numbers of police in Southend to prevent potential violence.

Chief Superintendent Chris Bradford explains why we want your feedback on our operation.

Take part in our quick and simple survey, and let us know your thoughts.

An open letter to the people of Southend from Chief Superintendent Chris Bradford

On Tuesday 26 May, we launched an operation in Southend in response to a planned gathering promoted extensively on social media.

Posts suggested the possible presence of weapons. We took the view that there was a credible risk of serious violence and disorder if we did not act early and decisively.

The purpose of the operation was to protect life, prevent crime and disorder, and keep the city safe.

Did you feel reassured by the large police presence or concerned by it?

Was it right to turn people away before any offence had been committed, in order to stop groups becoming large and unmanageable?

Was it right to place such an emphasis on strong, visible policing and the enforcement of restrictions if that meant people who intended no trouble were also impacted?

We want to hear directly from residents, visitors, businesses, young people, parents and community groups. Follow this link at the top of the page and please take a minute to give us your views.

Whether you supported the operation or disagreed with it, your perspective matters. If policing is to remain effective, fair and legitimate, we must be willing to listen as well as act.

Much of the public reaction has been very supportive of the visible and robust police presence as officers used dispersal powers extensively, carried out stop and search, recovered weapons, and made arrests and other interventions.

However, operations like this raise difficult questions about fairness, safety and trust.

When officers use powers such as dispersal and stop and search, there is a real interference with people’s freedoms and rights.

We recognised that some people may feel over-policed rather than reassured. What level of intrusion do you believe is justified to prevent foreseeable harm, and what trade-offs are you prepared to accept when resources are finite?

I also want to raise a wider point about confidence and perception. Southend is a vibrant city and a safer place than it is often portrayed. But confidence is shaped not only by lived experience, but by what you see online.

When social media repeatedly amplifies negative incidents, anxiety can grow even when people’s day-to-day experiences are more positive. Has your opinion of the city been affected by what you’ve seen on your social channels?

I want to know how you think we should respond in future when we have credible intelligence of violence, and whether you believe we got the balance right between prevention and fairness.

We want to be open and transparent about our decision-making, held accountable for the impact of those decisions, and make improvements where possible.

Southend is a great city and we’re working closely with our partners to keep it that way.

Please tell us what you think. Your feedback will help shape how we police Southend in the future.

Chief Superintendent Chris Bradford
South Local Policing Area

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