Harlow Community Police Team: Monthly Report

By Insp.Tony Walker

CORONAVIRUS is having a significant impact upon everyone including the local community in Harlow, each day changes but it is important that we all comply with the restrictions not only to keep healthy but also to ensure that the NHS are able to deal with the increased demand placed upon them especially at our local hospital the Princess Alexandra.

Policing continues albeit in a slightly different format, we are doing our very best to be as visible as possible whilst dealing with our normal activity of responding to emergency calls, preventing crime and dealing with community issues. Thankfully most Harlow residents are abiding by the conditions and new legislation gives us the power to deal with those who don’t take our advice.

Harlow Council have set up a Community Hub to support the local community at these difficult times, the volunteers offer phone support, reassurance and advice to the vulnerable in Harlow, primarily those without internet access or support networks, you can contact the hub on 01279 927005 9am – 5pm Monday to Friday and 10am – 1pm at weekends and on bank holidays. You can also contact the hub via email on [email protected]

At the end of last month 13 drugs warrants were executed in Harlow on the same day, this was the culmination of much planning. Drug use is connected to a significant amount of violent crime and anti-social behaviour in Harlow and on this occasion, we targeted those involved in the supply of the drugs. In total 23 people were charged with a variety of drugs supply offences and affray of these 9 were remanded in custody. Under the proceeds of crime act 5 cars were seized together with £10,000 in cash & designer clothes. We are already starting to see the impact that these arrests are having on the local community.

Thanks to some great CCTV footage provided by a member of the public we were able to identify a male who was responsible for breaking into cars in Church Langley in the early hours of the morning, within two days of receiving the footage the male was arrested his property was searched, and stolen property recovered. He was charged with a number of vehicle crime offences and put before the court where he was sentenced to 6 months imprisonment. It was also good to be able to return some of the stolen property back to its rightful owners.

As the weather starts to improve so does the reports of motorcycles being ridden inappropriately causing a nuisance and a danger to others. Please do let us know if you are aware of someone using a motorbike irresponsibly, a name, index number or a description of the bike, we have the power to issue warning notices and seize bikes in certain circumstances and will do so.

We have temporarily stopped our community meetings but have been out and about especially around supermarkets, the hospital and other locations that are busier at present. The police station remains open Monday to Saturday between 9am and 5pm outside these hours there is a phone outside the police station were contact can be made with an officer. Non-emergency calls can be made via 101 and there is the Community Policing Team email address [email protected] As always you can make anonymous reports via Crime stoppers via their website crimestoppers-uk.org or by calling 0800 555 111