BASILDON'S top cop has spoken up about his intention to reduceviolence 'in all its forms'.

After a year in the job Basildon District Commander Chief Inspector Dan McHugh has delivered a message to residents.

Since joining Essex Police in 2006, CI McHugh has worked his way up the ranks, becoming district commander last December.

"I enjoy the responsibility of helping to keep people safe and I care deeply about the district because I've spent my entire policing career here," says CI McHugh.

"It's such a vibrant place to live and work and there's a real community spirit. I see it out on patrol. I hear it from my officers.

"We've got strong links with the borough council and other partner agencies. We're all joined up and intent on making Basildon the best place it can be. Everyone wants to make our district an even greater place to live and work.

"I'm really excited by the plans and programmes we are bringing into Basildon from a policing perspective which are being supported by our partners in terms of victim support and crime prevention."

The year to 31 October 2022, compared with the previous 12 months, saw drug-related crime fall by a fifth across the district and anti-social behaviour almost halved – although the latter can partly be attributed to the large drop in Covid-related ASB incidents since the lifting of restrictions in April 2021.

Since summer 2022, a new operation to target, divert and disrupt the most violent offenders in Basildon has seen police, Basildon Council, Social Care and various health agencies all working together to give people options to escape the cycle of offending.

And between June and October 2022, offences of violence with and without injury and of robbery dropped by more than 12 per cent across Basildon, while officers made numerous arrests, securing charges for robbery, assault and carrying knives.

Chief Inspector McHugh says: "We are focusing our activity where the public and our own data tells us violence is occurring.

"And we're constantly looking for more ways of ensuring our teams remain visible in the community, spending as much time as possible helping to prevent crime and anti-social behaviour by being in the right place at the right time."

Areas of particular interest are Market Square and Southernhay in Basildon and the market and South Mayne in Pitsea but you will find police officers and police community support officers out on patrol in towns and villages across the district.

All this work is aimed at reducing crime and the fear of crime while supporting victims.

Chief Inspector McHugh says: "We listen to our victims of crime to give them a voice in the criminal justice process, as well as providing them with crime prevention advice. We are also working with Victim Support to explore ways to tailor this information better to an individual's needs.

"Police officers, police community support officers and our amazing volunteers continue to make new links with our diverse communities and it is these communities who add a richness of ideas for developing regeneration plans and new services and improving of existing residential and public spaces.

"From a purely policing perspective, we arrange regular meetings with various community groups and in venues across the district so we can listen to people's concerns and then tell them what we are doing to improve things," says Chief Inspector McHugh

He recognises there is always work to be done to reduce and prevent crime and his officers continue to mount proactive operations to target offenders and bring them to justice.

But, he says, officers can't do it without the help of local residents and businesspeople.

"We need you to tell us what the problems are and where they occur so we can focus our patrols and other policing activity in the right locations at the right times," says Chief Inspector McHugh.

"So, if you have any information about a crime, criminal activity or anti-social behaviour, please tell us."

If you see something which you feel needs police attention, or you have information about a crime, anti-social behaviour or criminal activity, ring 999 if it is an emergency or a crime in progress, otherwise you can report it online at www.essex.police.uk/ro where you can also speak to an online Live Chat operator on weekdays between 10am and 9pm. Alternatively, you can ring 101.

You can also contact Crimestoppers, anonymously, online or by calling 0800 555 111.