Police, Fire and Crime Commissioner for Essex

26/08/2026

Hare coursing causes real damage to farmland and can leave people in rural communities feeling intimidated and unsafe.

Essex Police’s Rural Engagement Team is carrying out proactive patrols day and night to tackle it.

Please keep reporting suspicious activity 👇

Our Rural Engagement Team have been out on pro-active patrols around hare coursing at all times of the day and night.

Hare coursing remains a serious issue for many rural communities, leaving landowners facing damaged crops, intimidation, and fear.

We continue to work with partners and local communities to tackle this criminal activity, gather intelligence, and take action against offenders.

If you see suspicious vehicles, people with dogs acting suspiciously on farmland, or trespassing in rural areas, please report it.

Lets keep our countryside safe.

20/08/2026

Essex Police - Basildon District have issued an update after reports of e-scooters and e-bikes being ridden through Wickford Cemetery and used anti-socially in other parts of Wickford.

Here’s what they’re doing in response 👇

We've received reports of people riding e-scooters and e-bikes through Wickford Cemetery.

We know this behaviour can be upsetting for people visiting loved ones and it's not something we will tolerate.

Officers are carrying out regular patrols in the area, as well as in Wickford High Street, Cranfield Park and The Wick Estate, where we've also had reports of anti-social behaviour involving bikes and e-scooters.

We'll continue to take action when we find privately owned e-scooters being ridden illegally in public places. We'll also deal with any e-bikes that don't meet legal requirements or are being used in an unsafe or anti-social way.

We're also working with parents and other people who support young people to help prevent this behaviour before it starts.

If you've witnessed anti-social behaviour in your area, please report it to us.

Or if you'd prefer to provide information anonymously about those responsible, you can do that through independent charity Crimestoppers too.

20/08/2026

Happy birthday Bailey 🐾

19/08/2026

🎮 You can reset a game. You cannot reset a life.

Safer Essex Roads has launched There Are No Respawns, a new campaign asking young drivers to think again about speed and the life-changing consequences that can follow a split-second decision behind the wheel.

Between 2023 and 2025:

🔴 986 people were killed or seriously injured in collisions where speed was a contributory factor.

🔴 29% of those casualties involved a speeding driver aged under 26.

🔴 88% of those young drivers were male.

Roger Hirst, Police, Fire and Crime Commissioner for Essex and Chair of the SERP Governance Board, said:

“The safest drivers are not the fastest. They are the ones who make good decisions, stay in control and get everyone home safely.

“This campaign encourages young people to look out for their friends, challenge dangerous behaviour and recognise that one decision behind the wheel can change lives forever.

“Nobody gets a second chance when they are in control of a real car – there is no pause button.”

Watch the video and share it with a young driver👇

🔗 https://saferessexroads.org/no-respawns/

18/08/2026

17/08/2026

✅ 13 vehicles taken off the road for being driven without insurance or a valid licence

✅ Three vehicles suspected of links to criminal activity seized

✅ 12 stolen vehicles and pieces of equipment recovered and returned.

More on the work of Essex Police’s Rural Engagement Team👇

17/08/2026

📊 Thank you to everyone who took part in my Essex-wide survey on the Government’s plans to merge police forces.

More than 1,700 people responded:

✅ 69% oppose police force mergers into larger constabularies
✅ 86% want Essex to maintain a strong local police presence
✅ 85% agree that local policing should remain locally led

I have now put these findings directly to Lord Hogan-Howe, who is leading the review.

The message from my survey is clear: replacing Essex Police with a larger regional force would be a step too far.

The Government should abandon these proposals and focus instead on strengthening the link between local communities and the police.

15/08/2026

🚨Essex County Fire and Rescue Service is on the scene of a fire in Third Avenue, Harlow 👇

🚨Live incident - Third Avenue, Harlow

Update 8pm

The fire is out and crews will remain at the scene to cool any remaining hotspots.

-----

Firefighters are working to extinguish a fire in a derelict building in Third Avenue, Harlow.

A smoke plume has developed in the area, if you live nearby please keep all your windows and doors shut.

14/08/2026

🚨You may have received the UK Government’s emergency alert warning about the increased risk of wildfires.

We absolutely want you to take it seriously - but we also need your help to keep our 999 Control Room lines available for emergencies.

Please call 999 if you see a fire that is spreading, out of control or putting people or property at risk.

If you see someone having a BBQ or a bonfire, please don’t call 999 simply to report it.

If you’re concerned about a fire, assess the situation from a safe distance. If there is an immediate risk to life or property, or a fire is spreading, call 999 and ask for the fire and rescue service.