Essex Police highlights vital role of officers facing "hostility and aggression”
More than 17,000 arrests have been made by response officers in Essex last year
Police officers in Essex are said to be facing "hostility and aggression" when dealing with incidents within the community.
The force is highlighting the dangerous and vital role of its staff who are said to be first on the scene when the public needs them the most.
Response officers responded to almost 80,000 emergencies across the county last year, making more than 17,000 arrests.
Assistant Chief Constable for Essex Police, Andy Mariner, said: “One minute they could be arresting a burglar, the next, reassuring a vulnerable person or helping to locate a missing person. It is this variety which means they require a broad knowledge of policing and strong communication skills.
“These officers have a demanding and, at times, unpredictable role. As well as responding to emergency calls, they also conduct investigations and high visibility patrols. When they arrive for their shift, they never know where they will be going or what they will be facing and sometimes that will be hostility and aggression.
“Whatever they are faced with, their number one priority is to help the public, put victims first, and ultimately catch and arrest people who are doing bad things. When the public hears about heroic officers helping to save lives after violent incidents or helping someone who might be extremely vulnerable, it’s very likely those officers will be from our response units.”
ACC Mariner added: “We also need to make sure we’re looking after our officers when they’ve been to a particularly traumatic incident – and we do that really well with wraparound care such as a scheme we call trauma risk management. Looking after our officers mentally as well as physically is incredibly important and we’re really alive to that here at Essex Police.”