EVER heard of the Harlow Independent Advisory Group (IAG)? There are a number dotted around the county. We know all about the Thurrock IAG. We have been to their meetings, have regular chats to their chair and also publicise their events. The chair is Neil Woodbridge, he is an independent person with no links to the police. That is a basic pre-requisite to being independent.

An IAG is simply there to question and scrutinise the local police. It is and should not be some militant police-bashing group but rather a critical friend.

However, in Harlow it has been rather difficult to find out anything about them. We did go to a meeting years ago but the people there seemed to misunderstand the nature and function of an IAG and member after member kept standing up saying “Harlow is a wonderful place and we must not do it down”. An IAG is supposed to comprise of a group of people willing to scrutinise not a bunch of cheerleaders.

So we tried to contact the Harlow IAG. After a few weeks, we got a response from someone in Essex Police. This was then passed onto a senior officer who asked if they could help? We said not really as we were looking to speak to an independent person about the IAG. Infact, we were concerned that the e-mails of the IAG was being monitored by the police.

An IAG plays an important role in holding the police to account. At its best (in Thurrock) it works really well, is inclusive and has garnered great respect.

If we find out more we will let you know.