Rayleigh MP, Mark Francois recently went out on a Friday night patrol with officers from Rayleigh Police station to see for himself the challenges they face policing Rayleigh town centre and the surrounding area on a busy evening.
Mark was accompanied on the patrol by Sergeant Andy Clarkson who heads up the recently established Rayleigh Neighbourhood Policing team and by PC Wyn Sharp, the neighbourhood Specialist officer for Rayleigh. During the evening Mark visited a number of areas on foot including the Mill Hall, Webster’s Way, King George’s Field and he also chattered to revellers outside the Pink Toothbrush nightclub. Mark also undertook a vehicle patrol around much of the rest of the town with PC Sharp.
The Rayleigh Neighbourhood policing team, which also covers areas out to Hockley and Hullbridge, has recently been reinforced and now includes six regular constables, led by Sergeant Clarkson, six police Community Support Officers, (PCSOs) and a number of Special Constables, who work as a team to help cover the local area and in particular to combat anti-social behaviour.
Commenting on his night patrol with the local police, Mark Francois said:
“I have campaigned for years for a greater police presence in and around Rayleigh and the surrounding area and so I welcomed this new neighbourhood policing team when it was set up a few months ago. I undertook to Sergeant Clarkson that I would go out on patrol with them one night to see what they are up against and I am glad that I have now been able to do this.
The Officers I saw in action were very professional and dealt with the few awkward customers they encountered with a mixture of firmness and good humour. I know from my constituency postbag that local residents are sometimes concerned by anti-social behaviour and I believe this new team are committed to doing their best to combating it.”