‘Rank-and-file officers have led Essex’s improvement’

RANK-and-file police officers up and down Essex are owed a debt of thanks for bringing up force standards in recent months, the Federation has said.

Steve Taylor, Federation Chairman, was speaking after HMIC rated the force “good” in all areas following the latest round of PEEL inspections – relating to efficiency, effectiveness and legitimacy.

Chief Constable Stephen Kavanagh has said his force was the most improved in the country after last year’s report found that it “required improvement” in how effective it was at keeping people safe and reducing crime.

Mr Taylor said: “The chief has reflected publicly that the improvement has been built solely on the shoulders of our members.

“It is the rank-and-file officers up and down the county of Essex that have led at the front of that improvement. It is a positive.

“HMIC has been at the forefront of our members’ working consciousness for far too long. We have had some real deficiencies pointed out to us, and we have come through some very swift and, in the views of the HMIC, very appropriate steps to improve. They now think we’re in a better place.

“It is their judgement, at the end of the day. We would rather it be rated good than requires improvement. But equally let’s not get too carried away; things are not perfect and officers are still working too long and too hard. Let us not forget that some of our members are unable to get the right levels of leave or the right levels of support. But we are in a better place than we have been.”

Mr Kavanagh said after the report was published earlier this month: “These reports tell a powerful story of the most improved police force in the country and I am delighted the hard work, dedication and bravery and energy of all our officers and staff have been recognised.”