Essex Police are falling apart claims a Braintree division policeman with 27 years under his belt.
Dave Rout
Dave Rout, 54, of Tiptree, says morale has reached an all-time low among officers, and now he has retired from the force he is speaking out.
He claimed the demise of Essex Police started when officers stopped covering their own beats and switched to community teams, and local control rooms were disbanded and centralised.
He began his career at Chelmsford police station, but after 22 months transferred to Hatfield Peverel before moving to Witham until 1989.
"When I was a village policeman I used to find out so much more because when I was off-duty I Shopped in the area and went for a drink in the local.
"People would tell me things because some find going to the police station quite daunting."
After a brief spell at Stansted Airport police station and back to Witham, Mr Rout moved to teh response team at Kelvedon and took on the Silver End beat followed by Coggeshall before transferring to shift duties at Dunmow in 2000.
"It seems officers are going to the south of the county and that's leaving us very short here. Essex Police are not a service any more. There is no support and low morale among officers."
Assistant Chief Constable John Broughton today defended the force.
He said officers were entitled to their opinion but he denied morale was low.
He said Essex Police had just been awarded Investors in People and it carries out regular surveys of its staff.
"Both officers and staff feel valued. Staff are not feeling morale is low that's not correct," he said.
Published Wednesday August 18, 2004
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