POLICE COMMISSIONER SETS OUT HIS AIMS AND AMBITIONS

The recently appointed Police Commisioner for Essex, Nick Alston chose the Rotary Club of Billericay - by request - to set out his plans and targets in his special role.  Addressing the Club members, he said:

 "I am passionate about Essex. My daughter was born in Billericay police station, my dad in Harwich and I attended schools at KEGS and in Colchester and Clacton - and I sail a boat on the Blackwater and sing in the Chelmsford Cathedral choir. I like to think that makes me an Essex boy through and through."

His targets:

1. Community service - ensuring that the community felt they were being well policed.

2. More professional standards. Less come-back and accusations on the force because they were not being seen to being profeessional.

3.Partnerships. Working closer together with health services, probation officersa, social services to prevent crime rather than having to deal with it after an event. Special emphasis on cracking down on alcohol and drugs abuse. And road safety which he admitted was "not easy to change".

4.Personal leadership.. "Make that caring for the public at large", he said.  "I will be instructing  through the newly appointed Chief Constable, Peter Kavanagh that all forces in my remit, consider the public with regard to arrests, stop and search. We need the trust and confidence of the public to be an efficient police force."

He admitted, under questions, that budget was something that had to be  looked  at closely. " Taxing police in Essex is currently almost the lowest in the country at the moment. . I would look to keep it that way. But there will be changes in staff appointments and I cannot tell you, here and now, how they may add up."

He was greeted with a vote of thanks and generous applause by the members.

Trevor Bond