POLICE operations have been credited for ‘really positive’ improvements which have seen reports of high harm crimes such as violent and sexual offences drop significantly.

All reported crime in the Castle Point and Rochford district has dropped by 7.5 per cent, with violence with injury dropping by 18 per cent and without injury by 17.5 per cent.

Reports of sexual offences in the area have also been cut by 16.5 per cent with Operation Nightshade highlighted as a key factor in reducing high harm crimes.

Other measures have been put in place which have seen different crimes like public order offences drop by 22 per cent and a reduction in anti-social behavioural crimes by 47 per cent.

Work with schools in Operation Shark has seen officers go into classrooms and speak with year six children before they go off on summer holidays.

Officers educate youngsters on what classes as anti-social behaviour and how they could be contributing to it without even knowing.

District Commander Hogben added: “We also learned a lot through Operation Green Space which targeted open spaces and parks during summer holidays.

“It wasn’t just a case of sending out officers to locations we had return forms as well as we really wanted our cops to be aware that they were going to be held to account.

“It’s not enough to go and stand in a field we want you to actually engage.”

Shoplifting saw a 27.4 per cent increase which was explained as an increase in reporting contributing to numbers.

District Commander Hogben said: “That figure is probably largely due to the increase in our dedicated sales team.

“So I think we’re not necessarily having more crime, it’s just been reported more now there’s a dedicated resource to use.”