Essex Police

🌟 Celebrating International Women’s Day at Essex Police! 🌟 On Saturday 8 March, we joined the global celebration of International Women’s Day (IWD) with the theme #AccelerateAction. This powerful call to break down barriers, challenge biases, and drive meaningful change toward gender equality resonated deeply with us. At Essex Police, we believe in equality every day, not just on International Women's Day and we understand how important it is to keep sharing our stories and connecting with others that inspire great change. On Thursday 13 March, our Women's Forum co-hosted an inspiring event at Kelvedon Park with Essex County Fire and Rescue Service, East of England Ambulance Service NHS Trust, and the Office of the Police, Fire and Crime Commissioner. Highlights included: ✨ Chief Constable Ben-Julian Harrington shared the rise in female officer applications and leadership roles. ✨ Deputy Police, Fire and Crime Commissioner Jane Gardner emphasised the importance of swift and decisive steps toward gender equality. ✨ Chief Fire Officer of Essex County Fire and Rescue Service Rick Hylton celebrated the commitment of women across emergency services. ✨ Friends and colleagues came to network and share their lived experiences Heartfelt stories, powerful connections, and informative stalls from support networks made the day unforgettable. We continue to support and amplify women's voices, ensuring everyone thrives. We were also successful in spreading awareness and raising money for incredible charities; White Ribbon, Lady McAdden's Breast Cancer, Mid Essex Buddhist Charity and Love Grace. Read more about the event by heading to the news section of our website or following the link in the comments. #IWD2025 #GenderEquality #EssexPolice

Meet Mandy Turner, one of our passionate and dedicated Contact & Control Centre Sergeants. The journey to becoming an officer is often filled with diverse experiences and challenges. With over two decades of service, Sergeant Turner has shown an unwavering commitment to community safety. "A role in the police can be pretty overwhelming and as a supervisor I am constantly looking after my staff and their welfare and making the difference to the public. Having been there for people in their most difficult of times and saving lives, it is a job like no other.” Sergeant Turner's journey is a powerful reminder of the incredible impact that dedicated individuals can have on their communities. Her story inspires us all to strive for excellence and make a positive difference in the lives of others. Read more about Mandy's truly motivating journey through our link in the comments.

Do you want to be a volunteer police officer? Our Essex Police Recruitment Team will be at Great Dunmow Police Station on Wednesday 12th March at 6:30PM for a drop in Recruitment Information Event 🚓 Special Constables are volunteer police officers who play a crucial role in supporting our regular police officers and keeping our communities safe. They wear the same uniform, have the same powers and carry the same equipment as our regular police officers. Our Specials don't get paid, but they willingly volunteer their time because they truly want to help the community and protect the public. If you want to find out more about becoming a Special Constable with Essex Police please come and join us. Alternatively, please email any recruitment enquiries you may have to - specials.recruitment@essex.police.uk Book your slot to attend or find details about our other in-person and online events through our link in the comments. 👇

On this International Day of Women and Girls in Science, we want to highlight and thank all those who work behind the scenes—from forensic scientists to digital forensics experts—using cutting-edge technology to solve crimes and keep our community safe. Meet Rachel Lyus, one of our inspiring Senior Crime Scene Investigators at Essex Police. This year marks her 10-year anniversary with the force. "There are so many positives to my role, and I truly believe it’s an amazing job. You rarely know what the day holds when you leave for work. You see so many different places and unimaginable things. You meet people from all walks of life, both when engaging with victims of crime and with the different professionals we work alongside." As a teenager, Rachel and her mum would watch forensic dramas and documentaries together, sparking her fascination with the field. "When I doubted if I was smart enough to pursue the career I wanted, my mum always said to me that the sky was the limit. Especially when it came to applying to go to university and being the first person in my family to do so, it felt like a huge leap." Rachel's story is proof to the power of passion and perseverance. To read more about Rachel's inspiring story and the challenges she has faced along the way, click our link in the comments 👇

"Getting justice for a victim, saving someone from further harm - those are the moments that make it all worth it." For Detective Superintendent Natalia Ross, a career in policing wasn’t always the plan - but it's clearly her calling. After 22 years in the force, Natalia leads teams within Crime and Public Protection, working relentlessly to combat some of the most serious offences, including rape and child abuse. As Sexual Abuse and Sexual Violence Awareness Week comes to a close, Natalia and her team's steely determination to find justice for those harmed continues on and never tires. Read more about Detective Superintendent Natalia Ross and her steadfast contribution towards tackling sexual violence and protecting the vulnerable in Essex in the comments below.

Meet Detective Sergeant Hayley Lambert, at the helm of Chelmsford's Domestic Abuse Problem Solving Team (DAPST). As Sexual Abuse and Sexual Violence Awareness Week reminds us of the urgent need to support survivors and prevent harm, few people understand the battle better than DS Hayley Lambert. And with 23 years in a profession where every day brings new challenges, high-stakes and moments of profound impact, her experience and insights could easily be written down and packaged as the next binge-worthy ITV crime drama. Read more about DS Lambert and her team's fight against domestic abuse in Essex in the comments below.

Sexual harassment is unwanted sexual behaviour that makes someone feel upset, scared, offended or humiliated. If it’s not consent, it’s harassment. If you are acting in an abusive way, #Reflect on how to change. Visit The Change Project today by calling 0800 500 3006 or visit www.thechange-project.org.

BBC News came to #Essex to see what we’re doing to combat shoplifting. You can watch their full report on BBC iPlayer – it was broadcast throughout the day on 30 January. Officers from the #Chelmsford community policing and town centre teams mounted one of their regular plain-clothes operations to tackle shoplifting in the city centre, while our specialist Business Crime officers spoke to retailers about their concerns and ways of improving store security and staff safety. And this is what we want to do more of. Community Policing Inspector Sam Girdlestone was joined by the BBC News film crew for part of the operation on 22 January, which saw five suspects arrested. One woman from #Basildon has since been jailed for four weeks for shop theft and a Chelmsford man fined after they were arrested in the city centre. Investigations are ongoing in the other case. We work with retailers to combat shop theft, who can help us to obtain convictions by providing information, witness statements and good quality CCTV footage. Click on the link in Comments to find out more about how our #BusinessCrime Team can help your business in Essex. During 2024, our officers made 1,397 arrests for shop theft offences across the county, secured 2,545 charges and solved 102 more offences than in the previous 12 months. #ProtectingAndServingEssex

Our Business Crime Team understands how shoplifting affects communities. Sergeant Christian Denning explains: “Affected businesses suffer significant financial losses, which can be passed on to customers through higher prices and, if stores are forced to close, that leads to local job losses. “So it’s in everybody’s interests to work together to tackle shoplifting – it’s a team effort.” Find out how our specialist business crime officers tackle shoplifting and work with partner organisations and national and local retailers, store chains and independents, by clicking on the link in Comments. Christian urges customers to report shoplifting and other suspicious activity to store staff or security. “Don’t put yourself at risk of a confrontation,” he warns. “They can handle the situation or call the police if necessary.” During 2024, our officers made 1,397 arrests for shop theft offences in Essex, secured 2,545 charges and solved 102 more offences than in the previous 12 months. Our #BusinessCrime Team works with Essex Chambers of Commerce & Industry, fellow police forces, loss prevention and security for major retailers such as BP, East of England Co-op, John Lewis & Partners, Sainsbury's and Tesco, as well as smaller, more local and independent outfits. #ProtectingAndServingEssex

Today, we honour the millions of lives lost during the Holocaust and the incredible resilience of those who survived.    At Essex Police, we remain committed to ensuring such atrocities are never forgotten by standing against all forms of hatred and discrimination. Together, we will continue to work for a safer, more inclusive community for all.    #HolocaustRemembranceDay #NeverForget #WeValueOurCommunities