Tri-Service Rural Community Officer starts work for all three emergency services
A new Tri-Service Rural Community Officer, representing all three emergency services, has begun working in the Maldon and the Dengie Peninsular areas of Essex.
Les Davis will establish himself as a pivotal member of the community, making Essex safer while working collaboratively for Essex County Fire and Rescue Service (ECFRS), Essex Police and East of England Ambulance Service Trust (EEAST).
With the support of Roger Hirst, Police, Fire and Crime Commissioner for Essex, the role is part of a 15-month pilot between the services.
Focusing on priorities around protection, prevention and response, Les will offer a visible presence in these local communities as well as providing early intervention, prevention and an operational response for the EEAST.
Les will base his visits and work on data and risk, meaning he will be able to target safety messaging and advice to the right people at the right time.
Les will divide his time between street visits, joining both in-person and online community network groups and working as a first-responder for the Ambulance Service. He'll also regularly meet with each emergency service as he continues to adapt the role to target each area.
Tri-Service Rural Community Officer Les Davis said:
"Working for all three emergency services in a collaborative way is a real privilege, as it means I can either directly tackle or pass on safety concerns at a very local level.
"I'm hoping to really get to know the communities I work in so that I can understand what would make them feel safer and more secure in their daily lives.
"While we continue working throughout the pandemic things will run a little differently, but flexibility is in the nature of the job and I'm confident I will still be able to engage with local areas and networks to make a real difference to Maldon and the Dengie Peninsular area."
Moira Bruin, Assistant Chief Fire Officer at Essex County Fire and Rescue Service, said:
"With a shared goal to make Essex safer, working collaboratively with all three services can only benefit our communities and I'm looking forward to seeing the new Tri-Service Rural Community Officer become a valued role in the local community.
"From a fire service perspective, we will be equipping Les with smoke alarms and fire safety advice to make sure people understand the danger of fire and how they can afford falling victim to a fire in their home."
Chief Constable Ben-Julian Harrington of Essex Police said:
“I’m really pleased that Les is able to join, not just our team, but that of our Fire and Ambulance colleagues as well.
“By working closely with local residents, he’ll be able to offer crime prevention advice and allay or report any concerns about crime in this rural area.
“Our officers in the Chelmsford and Maldon district do a brilliant job by their local communities, but I also know that having Les as a voice for those in the Dengie will be welcomed. Our county is not just made up of big cities and towns, and it’s important that those in rural communities also feel protected by Essex Police and are informed of how to keep themselves, their loved ones and their property safe from crime.”
Alan Whitehead, EEAST Head of Operations for Mid & South Essex said:
“We have been working on a number of potential projects with Essex Police and Fire for some time now and it is good to see that hard work come to fruition.
“I know there will be many more collaborative projects to come. This role embodies the way our three emergency service partners should be working together, as one, to support our communities.”
Roger Hirst, Police, Fire and Crime Commissioner for Essex said:
“Supporting residents living in our rural communities is a key focus in my Police and Crime Plan and my Fire and Rescue Plan. I am delighted we have been able to introduce this scheme as Les will make such a difference to health, wellbeing and safety in our rural communities.
"Acting on feedback we received from our engagement with residents it was clear that a role like this would help people in some of the areas of our county, which because of their geography, can sometimes feel a little remote.
"Les is working right in the hub of those communities, representing three emergency services, being a visible and reassuring presence.”
Les will be using local community network groups, Facebook groups and local media to keep the community updated on where he plans to visit and what he's done.
You can follow Les directly on Facebook by visiting facebook.com/TriServiceRuralCommunityOfficer
Hear Les Davis talk about what you can expect from his new role:
Page last updated 24 February, 2021