Essex Police preparing for Southend seafront summer violence

The force says it has learnt lessons from the previous two summers and is working on strategies to combat troublemakers this year.

Seafront trader Paul Thompson, owner of Pebbles One café, says the police presence last summer was an improvement on the year before which was marked by pitched battles between gangs of teens, stabbings and drunken disorder and violence.

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“The additional police presence acted as a deterrent last year and while there was still some bad violence, the police seem to be learning,” Mr Thompson, who also owns the Marine Parade Spar, said.

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“Since lockdown ended, we have had issues with people travelling into Southend from London and Essex and causing trouble.

“However, the beefed-up police presence, focus on laughing gas and knife arches made it feel much safer last year.”

Essex Police launched Operation Union, a collaborative effort with the council and Southend businesses, in 2021 after the increased footfall in the seafront city post-lockdown led to instances of trouble.

And the results are beginning to show.

Over the summer of 2022, more than 100 people were arrested and 294 stop and searches were carried out – a third of which led to the discovery of illegal items including weapons and drugs.

The force says it will apply what has been learnt over the last two years to combat crime this coming summer.

Labour Kursaal ward councillor Matt Dent, who met with the Southend Central policing team earlier this week, praised efforts to clampdown on violence.

“The increased seafront presence addressed the issues we have with large numbers of trouble makers travelling into Southend,” he said.

“However, there is a feeling among residents that the roads further back from the seafront got less attention and became a focal point of anti-social behaviour and violence.”

“I have been assured that police are aware of these concerns, and are factoring it into their planning for next summer.”

An Essex Police spokesman: “The evaluation of Operation Union is ongoing, and the team will be looking to apply any learnings for summer 2023.

“We will continue to maintain a visible police presence in the centre of Southend to deter and deal with any criminality.”