POLICE stopped and searched more people in Southend and Basildon than anywhere else in Essex last year as part of a relentless clampdown on crime - including a huge operation targeting gangs causing chaos on Southend seafront.
A Freedom of Information request by the Echo found 2,372 people were stopped and searched in both Southend and Basildon - a total of 4,744 people.
Meanwhile, a total of 942 individuals were stopped in Castle Point and Rochford.
In Colchester, which had the highest crime rate in the county last year, 1,614 searches were carried out.
Essex Police says the searches are helping, as serious knife crime offences have significantly reduced across Basildon and Southend over the last 12 months.
A spokesman said: “Stop and search is vital for combating crime, disrupting offenders, gathering intelligence, and avoiding the unnecessary detention of individuals.”
But while concerns have been raised over a possible “invasion of privacy”, councillors and residents see the searches as “vital deterrents”.
Martin Richardson runs the Happidrome arcade on Southend seafront, where large gangs of youths caused havoc in August last year.
During the chaos officers were called to a large disturbance in Southend, where hundreds of teenagers descended to the seafront.
Mr Richardson defended the searches, saying: “If you’ve got nothing to hide, you’ve got nothing to fear.
“It’s not as if they’re expecting you to strip in the middle of the High Street.
“To be honest, I’d rather the police were over-cautious than turning a blind eye.
“It’s good. We need to see a more proactive police presence.”
Basildon Council leader Andrew Baggott hailed it as “excellent news”.
He added: “I’m very glad. The fact we’re at the top of the tree shows the police are doing their job.
“They’re making our community safer. What’s not to like?”
In Basildon, there has been a reduction in serious knife crime of more than 27 per cent, with 51 fewer offences, and in Southend there have been 48 fewer offences in the last 12 months, which is a reduction of almost 23 per cent.
Antisocial behaviour is also down. It is 24 per cent lower in Basildon with 631 fewer offences, and 45 per cent down in Southend with 1,462 fewer offences.
Knife crime campaigner Julie Taylor “totally agrees” with the searches.
Mrs Taylor’s grandson, Liam, was stabbed to death in 2020. Since then, she has campaigned tirelessly to warn young people of the devastating consequences of knife crime.
She said: “I’d be happy to be stopped. It’s soon over and done with if you haven’t got a weapon.
“It’s a good deterrent to discourage people carrying knives. I totally agree with it.”
James Courtenay, Southend Tory councillor responsible for community safety and public protection, says the high number of searches is “self-fulfilling”.
He said: “If you conduct a lot of searches in particular areas, you’re going to find more activity.
“We need to acknowledge that people are walking around with knives and drugs, and we need to address it.
“But you’re going about your lawful business, there’s nothing to worry about.”
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