THE first 70 new officers of 2022 were welcomed into the Essex Police family at our Chelmsford headquarters today, Friday 25 February, joining more than 3,500 colleagues who protect and serve our county all year round. After completing their initial training, our new police officers are now raring to join policing teams across Essex and start helping to keep their local communities safe from harm.

But first, they marked the occasion at a passing out parade led by Chief Constable Ben-Julian Harrington, with guests including Police, Fire and Crime Commissioner Roger Hirst, Essex High Sheriff Simon Brice, chief executive of Essex Chambers of Commerce Denise Rossiter and family and friends.

After our new officers pledged their commitment to serve our county and its diverse communities, Mr Harrington told them: “You have put yourself forward to protect and serve, just as I did 32 years ago. You have put yourself forward to catch criminals, to protect people and to keep people safe. In doing this, you have placed the needs of others before your own.

“In recent times, policing has faced challenge and scrutiny like never before. Sadly, the national media headlines we see every week have also shown us that the bond of trust in policing has been damaged. While it has been damaged by the few, it falls to us – the many – to repair it.

“Here in Essex, I’m pleased to say that we continue to enjoy record levels of public trust and confidence in our force. Our public think we do a good job to protect and serve them. But we must never take that for granted and we must always work hard to earn and maintain the bond of trust and confidence that our force currently enjoys.

“I know that you are with me on this and, when I look out today and see your commitment and the support of your loved ones, I feel proud and privileged to be your Chief Constable.”

Our new officers are keen to get started. 

PC Brandon Doust is joining our Harlow Local Policing Team. He says: “I can’t wait to get to know my community and help out. I want them to have a good relationship with the police, just like I have.

“If I can be a Jewish police officer around people all the time then, hopefully, people will see communities like mine in a better light.”

PC Micheal Khanye begins his policing career in the same area he went to sixth form – Loughton.

He says he wanted to change the perception his friends, many of whom are Black or ethnic minority, have of the police because of what they hear on the news.

He says: “For me, the change starts by being a part of that environment. Instead of standing on the outside saying you need to change, why don’t you be that change? 

“It also starts with our communities and them understanding that they need to be that change, too.”

PC Victoria Price is heading for Clacton where, she says, “I want to do something that makes a difference every day and I want to help people who are at their most vulnerable point.”

PC Daniel Palmer has wanted to be a police officer since he was five. He’s joining Colchester Local Policing Team and says: “I like a challenge and I don’t like waking up and doing the same thing. I like stepping into the unknown and helping people, that’s what I thrive on.”

We will soon be joined by more new officers as Essex Police, Fire and Crime Commissioner Roger Hirst announced earlier this month that we will receive an increase in funding for an extra 200. 

Essex Police, Fire and Crime Commissioner Roger Hirst said: “Essex Police continues to grow, and it is a pleasure to see these new recruits joining. 

“Working alongside national government we have significantly increased the investment in policing over the last six years and, by March 2023, the total size of the force will be 3,755 – a growth of 900 officers since 2016.

“The arrival of these officers is a step towards achieving the key priorities set out in our Police and Crime Plan 2021-24. 

“In my role, as your Police, Fire and Crime Commissioner, I am committed to ensuring that Essex Police has the support, resources, systems and processes in place to protect our communities and make Essex a safer place to live, work and travel.

“I am hugely proud of them all for stepping forward to do such an important job and wish them all the very best of luck in their future career.”

Mr Harrington told our new officers: “The decision to invest further is a vote of confidence in every one of you. Burglary, theft and the number of people killed and seriously injured on our roads are all down. Crime overall was also down by 5.5% in 2021, compared to the pre-pandemic period in 2019.”

Across our force, we are welcoming more people from a wider range of backgrounds who want to make their difference to society. That’s not just police officers but also the essential police staff, special constables, volunteer police cadets and volunteers who complete our team.

Of the 70 student officers who passed out today, 31 were women.

All our officers continue to strive to deliver justice for victims, whatever the crime. Just last week, a man who sent anti-Semitic letters to Lord Alan Sugar was sentenced to more than three years in jail after an investigation by Epping Forest Community Policing Team.

Mr Harrington told our new officers: “Racism or discrimination of any kind should never be tolerated and those who think it’s acceptable need to be held accountable. 

“By working together, we can make Essex a safer, kinder and tolerant county.”