Chief Inspector Jonathan Baldwin
Chief Inspector Jonathan Baldwin took over the role of Epping Forest district commander in May 2008, and has now been in post for just over two months. Here he talks about his new role and the challenges ahead.
"I have thoroughly enjoyed the first period of my command here. The community is welcoming and it has been a rewarding challenge getting to know the area residents.
Epping Forest is an exciting and challenging place to work and my team of officers and I are already planning a series of summer campaigns in our fight against crime. I enjoy getting out and about with officers where I can see what is really going on in each area. I hope to reduce the burden of paperwork and bureaucracy on the officers so they have more time to patrol the streets, reduce anti-social behaviour and prevent crime.
It is really important that the community and partners feel able to communicate with us to ensure that any issues are dealt with quickly and efficiently. Now we have specialist officers policing the neighbourhoods, I would encourage residents to talk to them and inform them of any concerns. There are so many ways in which the public can help us keep crime down, like becoming a member of neighbourhood watch, for example.
Crime is lower now than last year and I want to keep it that way. By working together, we can all improve the quality of life for the people of Loughton and Epping Forest district.
As District Commander, I am committed to denying criminals the use of the roads. I have already drawn up plans to address the travelling criminals who break into our homes, steal our cars and defraud our petrol stations. I am ensuring investment in automatic number plate recognition systems to catch those criminals who travel across the borders to commit crime, and have a very strong relationship with the Safer Communities Partnership. Together we will deal with the vehicle, drugs and knife crime that is hitting the national headlines these days. Essex is still one of the safest places to live in England. However, I know that being a victim of crime can be at best unsettling and, at worst, life shattering.
Epping Forest is served by high-calibre officers, police staff and volunteers working exceptionally hard to deliver a better police service. Their success is evident by the numbers of criminals taken off the streets, as well as by a significant reduction in the number of crimes committed against the public. It is my commitment to you all that I will work with my team to prevent crime and to improve the quality of life for everyone in our policing district of Epping Forest."
Mr Baldwin started his career in Wales where he policed both large rural and urban areas, transferring to Essex in June 2007. In July 2007, he was promoted to Head of HQ Territorial Policing at Essex police headquarters in Chelmsford, and remained there until his move.

Simon Werrett - Loughton, Debden, Chigwell & Buckhurst Hill neighbourhoods Inspector
"I have served with Essex police for 22 years, the majority as a detective and the last six in Loughton. My new role is a challenge as I move from investigating major crime to leading a team targeting those who commit minor crime and antisocial behaviour and activities which affect our everyday lives.
Like residents, I want to be able to walk to the shops on a Friday night without being abused by groups of people or having things thrown at me. From 1 April to 31 December 2007, there were 1,136 crimes in Loughton and 795 in Debden. Of these, we have detected 36.7% and 30.06% crimes in Loughton and Debden respectively. We are doing well, but I want to do better. I am a firm believer in ‘no nonsense’ policing and I have already, along with the district commander, put into action operations and procedures to target individuals and groups committing offences. We are moving the response teams back to Loughton, which means an additional five sergeants and 55 constables will be working out of Loughton police station providing 24- hour cover. This is good news for the community because, while they are required to provide cover for the whole district, they will be seen more in the Loughton area.
The neighbourhood policing team has changed and Sergeant Matt Twomey is now responsible for Loughton and Debden. Several other officers have moved to other roles, so the neighbourhood specialist officer for Debden is now PC Sami Dawood, and for Loughton PC Roberto Vacca. They have PCs Vincent and Arnold as their support – these are two officers with the highest arrest rate in the district so I am expecting good results from this team. We are committed to providing a very visible presence in the area. However, neighbourhood policing is not just about arrests and investigating crimes, it’s about engaging with the community and identifying the issues which affect your quality of life. Therefore, we need your help.
We need to know what issues affect you, whether it’s nuisance youths, someone selling drugs or driving their car without insurance/MOT. You can pass this information on by calling us on 07968 354021. You can even send a text and we will call you back.
If you would like to get involved, then we have neighbourhood action panels that meet on a monthly basis. This is an opportunity for local people to identify priorities for us and our partners. I appreciate we are all busy people, but this is an opportunity for you to shape your community. One of the problems consistently mentioned is the youths hanging around in the evenings. Whilst we are looking at ways to engage with them and work with our partners to provide alternative activities, the majority of them live in our area.
Do you always know where your children are? What they are up to? All parents have a responsibility to their community to ensure their children are not acting in an antisocial manner. I accept it is a small minority of our young people who misbehave, but please ensure your child is not in that minority. If you wish to speak to me directly, I can be contacted on 01279 625492. There is an answer phone facility, so please leave me a message and I will return your call as soon as I can."

Motorcycle nuisance & anti-social behaviour on the Roding Valley recreation ground
More than 100 local people turned up for a public meeting about illegal and anti-social motorcycles and vehicles on Roding Valley Recreation Ground.
A very high level of concern about this perennial problem was expressed by all those at the meeting, held in April 2005.
Town Council representatives were joined by colleagues from Epping Forest District Council Environmental Services (particularly concerning noise nuisance), the anti-social behaviour co-ordinator, nature reserve and police.
It emerged that good intelligence which would help the police and the Epping Forest DC officers to take action was the key element of a strategy to combat the problem.
The Town Council and its partners, Essex Police and Epping Forest District Council, are targeting owners and riders. There will be more foot patrols by the Community Policing Team and a leafleting campaign aimed at informing residents of how they can help. Posters will also be placed at key points around Roding Valley Recreation Ground reminding riders that they are acting illegally. If you see people using the fields illegally or dangerously, try to note down as much information as you can about the situation and pass it to Carol Staf.
She is the district council’s anti-social behaviour coordinator, and she can be contacted on 01992 564122.
Alternatively, call the police on 01279 625520, but remember: always call 999 if it is an emergency situation.

The following is an extract from the Essex Police Website :

Q : What is the legal status for 'Go-Peds'?

A : Power assisted scooters have been widely advertised and prices have dropped recently. This has led to them being a popular gift for adults and children alike.
Both petrol driven and battery powered scooters are available; some of which have a pedal cycle type seat fitted to them. Battery powered scooters tend to be slower than petrol ones, often with a top speed of about 15mph.
To be used on the road, or in any place to which the public has access, these scooters would have to meet all construction and use requirements. They would be required to have European Whole Vehicle Type Approval, be registered with the DVLA, taxed and be fitted with a number plate. The rider would have to hold a valid driver licence, be insured for the vehicle and need to wear a proper motorcycle helmet. In addition, any user would need to comply with the Highway Code and all driving legislation.
Although there are exemptions to road traffic legislation for some motorised vehicles that meet specific requirements, for example, motorised pedal cycles and mobility scooters, neither the petrol driven scooters, nor the battery powered ones that have recently become popular meet these requirements.
A situation could arise where a parent purchases one of these scooters as a gift and the child then uses it in a public place without realising that they are liable to prosecution. Similarly, an adult may be tempted to ride home after a drink with friends and face a breathalyser test. These scooters may be great fun but are simply not appropriate nor legal to use on the road or pavement. They could pose a real threat to the riders themselves or other road users - particularly in the dark or poor weather conditions.
If consumers have been mislead by the seller in this way, they should contact the Trading Standards Department

The Facts :

The Electrically Assisted Pedal Cycle Regulations 1983 exclude relevant vehicles from road traffic legislation, but to satisfy this exemption the vehicle must have pedals by which it is primarily propelled, have an electric motor with no more than 200w output, and only benefit from electrical assistance up to 15mph. They can only be ridden by someone who has reached the age of 14.
The Use of Invalid Carriages on Highways Regulations 1988 similarly exclude mobility scooters from road traffic legislation, but impose an absolute maximum speed of 8mph which must be switchable to 4mph when used on the pavement. Use of mobility scooters is restricted to people suffering from some physical defect or physical disability.
In September 2000 a woman in London was convicted of riding an electrically propelled scooter on the road without insurance. The case was subject to appeal to Crown Court and the High Court. On 10th July 2002 in the case Letitia Winter v DPP the High Court held that the scooter, despite having tiny pedals fitted to the front wheel, could not benefit from the exemption for electrically assisted cycles and upheld the conviction.
The price reduction of these scooters has led to a dramatic increase in their popularity and use by people of all ages.