Ahead of the weekend, and the Euros tonight, District Commander Ian Hughes and Southend-on-Sea Borough Council's cabinet member for public protection, Cllr Martin Terry, have a message for Southend.
Chief Inspector Hughes said: “I know the weather won’t be as nice this weekend, but please be assured that our officers will still be out patrolling to protect and serve the people of the district.
“I’d like to thank locals for their patience and responsible behaviour over the past few weeks, especially while the weather has been nice. We know that, often, nice weather brings people from out of the district into Southend and surrounding towns, and their bad behaviour can spoil it for everyone. Where that does happen, we will seek to identify them and bring them to justice.
“Last weekend, my officers checked in with pubs and bars across the district to make sure that everyone was enjoying the weather – and the football – in a responsible way.
“We’re so pleased to see them back after a tough year, and we’ll be back this weekend to check that everything is running well for them and that no one is causing trouble. Everyone has a responsibility – from licenced premises to its patrons – to make sure they’re behaving responsibly and keeping reckless behaviour in check.
“We’ll be here to support businesses when they need us. Make sure you and your friends aren’t the reason we’re called. Do the right thing and look out for each other and have a safe weekend, Southend.”
Cllr Martin Terry, cabinet member for public protection, said: “It’s been fantastic to see the town full with visitors recently, choosing Southend as their destination to enjoy the sun, sand and hospitality businesses. Whilst the weather for this weekend is looking fairly wet and windy, we know that many people will still be out in the town to watch the England game, and it is important that we all enjoy the match responsibly.
“We will be working closely with Essex Police to ensure everyone is kept safe and well over the weekend, with our community safety unit out as always providing a visible presence to support residents and visitors to the town. I urge everyone to please be considerate when visiting one of the many pubs and bars in the town, and to not ruin the day for anyone else.”