Christmas and New Year Message from Essex Police Federation Chair Laura Heggie

WELL, it’s fair to say this has been a rubbish year for many reasons and one personally I’m not going to be sad to leave behind.

It has seen many challenges for us all with balancing work and a home life, whilst trying to keep our loved ones safe.

People keep saying ‘when we get back to normal’ – I’m not so sure we will ever return to the pre-Covid-19 ‘normal’ but we have to remain hopeful at some stage we find a new ‘normal’.

I think Essex Police officers have all done a fantastic job throughout the year and have demonstrated just how resilient you can be.

Frankly, during this pandemic, the Government have had a real taste of what it is like to be a Police Officer and forever be dammed for everything you do or don’t do – although this new found empathy clearly still wasn’t enough for them to give us a 2021 pay rise.

In saying that, we must be doing something right as I am informed regularly that confidence in Essex Police from the public is at an all-time high, so it must be said well done to all colleagues for helping to achieve that.

Unfortunately for many Essex Police officers, this isn’t the Christmas break that others get so for those of you working over the Christmas and New Year please stay safe and continue to look out for each other.

I am On Call for Federation over that period – but in the nicest way possible I hope not to see or hear from you as it normally means something bad has happened.

I wish you and your families a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.

Laura